S.H.A.N : STATEMENT OF SDU

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S.H.A.N : STATEMENT OF SHAN DEMOCRATIC UNION
November 2, 1997

                                                                  STATEMENT

The Shan States join hands with all the democratic forces in Burma to
denounce the Rangoon military dictatorship known as Slorc :

1.  for not transferring power to the democratic forces in Burma led by the
National League for Democracy 
     ( NLD ) and the democratic forces in the Shan States led by the Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy
     ( SNLD ) both of which won the General Elections held in 1990

2. for horrendous human rights abuses countrywide particularly in the Shan
States where they have been     employing ethnic cleansing tactics i.e.
mass rapes, mass killings, mass destructions and mass     relocations; and

3. for leading Burma and particularly the Shan States into the largest
opium producing country in the world,     both by its policies and actions;

  and demand that the Slorc bows to the wishes of the world and its peoples
to open a tripartite dialogue   among Slorc, the democratic forces of Burma
and the democratic forces of the non-Burman  areas  for the     sake of its
so-called sacred three causes - Non disintegration of the Union, Non
disintegration of the unity of   all the nationalities and the integrity of
the Union's sovereignty - if not for anything else. The people of Burma  
and the Shan States, under their respective elected leaderships, are ready
to open talks with the Slorc.

  The United Nationalities League for Democracy ( UNLD ) as the voice of
the non-Burmans have clearly   stated on 5 May to Mr. de Soto, the UN
envoy, about their stand : Democracy in Burma is meaningless   without the
recognition of the Equality and Right of Self Determination of the
non-Burmam peoples, and vice   versa. We shall be firm on that stand.

  Once again, we appeal to the world to support the voice of our peoples
for the sake of peace, progress and   prosperity both in the region and the
world.

  Executive Commitee,
  Shan Democratic Union.
  
  Dated : 26 October 1997.
  *****