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CC: Appeal of SDU - SSA



Date: 21 January 1998

To: 

	H. E. Senior General Than Shwe 
                   Chairman,
	State Peace and Development Council

	H. E. General Maung Aye
	Vice Chairman,
	State Peace and Development Council

	H. E. Lieutenant -General  Khin Nyunt
	Secretary - 1,
	State Peace and Development Council

	H. E. Lieutenant-General Tin Oo
	Secretary - 2,
	State Peace and Development Council

	H. E.  Dr. Sein Win
	Prime  Minister
	National  Coalition Government of the Union of Burma

	H. E. General Saw Bo Mya
	President
	National  Council  of  the  Union  of  Burma

	H. E. General Shwe Hser
	President
	National Democratic Front

	Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
	General Secretary,
	National League for Democracy

	Khun Htoon Oo
	President,
	Shan Nationalities League for Democracy

Your Excellency / Dear Sir / Dear Madam,

	On behalf of the Shan Democratic Union (SDU) and Shan State Army (SSA), and
by extension, the people of Shan State, I respectfully enclose for your kind
attention and wise consideration, a Message on the Occasion of the 50th
Anniversary of Independence Day (January 4 1998).

	Although the people of Shan State has suffered grievously from military
atrocities and extensive human rights violations -- since the mid-1950s,
which has got progressively worse -- they, like true Buddhists, do not hold
any grudge. Inspired by our people's Buddhist spirit, endurance, and
courage, we are moved to attempt to break the political impasse that has
contributed to the increased the misery of all the people of Burma.  

	We cannot believe that those who hold power and leaders who have inspired
the people to strive for better conditions in Burma, are prepared to see the
country destroyed for the sake of pride, narrow ambitions, self-interest,
rancor, and hate.  

	Rather, we believe all leaders in, or out of, power are gripped by fear.
Fear is a powerful force, and unless it is disarmed, no leader can do what
he/she knows is necessary.  

	To enable all of us, and all leaders, to move away from paralyzing fear and
begin a journey on the path toward dialogue, reconciliation, and peace there
is a need for amnesty, forgiveness for whatever has transpired and for those
who have transgressed. Then, and only then, can those whose minds are frozen
by fear, begin to think rationally and act sanely, and with compassion and
in patriotic spirit.  

	To this end, we made an appeal for amnesty, for an Amnesty Law to be
granted all by the only body legitimately authorized to do so -- the
Parliament of 1990. We further believe that only the parliament possesses
the authority to set in motion a process -- one that is accepted by all as
legitimate and right -- of dialogue and reconciliation. 

	We believe that the Amnesty Law will assuage the fear of those who have
hitherto refused to accept the Buddhist law of change and impermanence. We
also believe that the passage of an Amnesty Law by a legitimate parliament
will mark the opening of a new chapter in our history, a chapter where
political passions are modified by the rule of law, and the exercise of
power is governed and constrained by the force of law. 

	We therefore appeal to you -- personally, and as a leader of men -- to
reach out to fellow and compatriot leaders, and to together set in motion a
process that will bring forgiveness to those who need it, and hope to those
that thirst for the opportunity to rebuild their shattered lives.  

	What we ask of you is not, we can safely assume, too much to ask, and not
beyond your power to set in motion.  

	Yours, in compassion and with respect, 

Khamzam Payakwong
for
Joint Committee 
Shan Democratic Union-Shan State Army 

----------------------------- Attachment -----------------------------------

Message
On  the  occasion  of
the  50th  anniversary  of  independence  DAY
( 4 January 1998 )

1 .	Today should be appropriate for all the parties concerned, including the
State Peace and Development Council, the National League for Democracy and
the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, to seriously consider working
hand in hand to bring good tidings to our long suffering people.

	The piece of news that our people have been longing for urgently day and
night is peace, reconciliation and the end to human rights abuses which
include endless forced labor, forced relocations, plunders, rapes and
killings. If this cannot be conveyed, the extravagant celebrations would
mark nothing other than a meaningless independence which has plunged our
people into an endless living hell.

2 .	Therefore, for the sake of our people, we would like to present the
following proposal for consideration.

( a )	A nationwide dialogue for reconciliation is an absolute necessity. To
be able to convene a nationwide dialogue, we firmly believe that an Amnesty
Law must be promulgated. We the Shans who have suffered very grievously from
military atrocities and ethnic cleansing actions nonetheless support the
offer of amnesty, in the interest of lasting peace, democracy, human rights
and racial harmony.

( b )	We believe that the democratically elected Parliament has the
legitimacy and authority to pass an Amnesty Act. No other body has this right.

( c )	We believe that professional leaders within the military desire
dialogue and genuine national reconciliation as all other ethnic
nationalities do.

( d )	We therefore call upon the State Peace and Development Council to
allow parliament into session with the purpose of ( 1 ) passing an Amnesty
Act and ( 2 ) sanctioning an assembly to be participated in by all ethnic
elected and nonelected leaders, leaders of all social sectors, military and
civil servants as a preparatory body leading to nonviolent national conflict
resolution under the rule of law.

( e )	We appeal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy,
the National Coalition Government of Union of Burma and all grassroot
leaders of democratic groups to support our appeal for calling parliament
into session for this stated purpose.

3 .	We also appeal to world leaders, national governments, the UN, the EU
and ASEAN governments and leaders to constructively engage by assisting the
process of reconciliation leading to Lasting Peace in Burma.

Joint Executive Committee,
Shan Democratic Union - Shan States Army

// END //.