His message to the Shan people was read out at the 68th annual Shan State National Day celebrations in Awaiyar Field in Taunggyi Town, Shan State on 7th February.

U Shwe Man, the chairman of the Union Parliament and People’s Parliament, also sent a message. He said the Shan should cooperate in the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) and with the Union Parliament so that they could have self-determination within a federal system.

U Sao Aung Myat the state prime minister also awarded the president’s National Ability Awards to several people at the celebrations.

To gain independence from the British the Shan Feudal System Council that had ruled over Shan State during colonial times was dissolved on 7th February 1947 and Shan State became a federal state.

Seven representatives of the Shan people and seven representatives of the Shan princes then signed an agreement with General Aung San, who was representing the Bamar of central Burma, at Pinlon (Panglong) on 7th February 1947, which is why 7th February is recognised as Shan State National Day.

The Shan were the last ethnic group to sign an agreement with Aung San, so after they signed all the other ethnic leaders travelled to Pinlon and signed the Pilnon (Panglong) Agreement on 12th February 1947, which led to independence for Burma.

The Shan State prime minister; ministers; the state parliament chairman; parliamentary representatives; officers from the military; the chairmen from the Self Administered Divisions and Regions; over 30 ethnic culture groups and local people celebrated in the state government led Taunggyi Shan State National Day celebrations.

This year’s celebrations were only the second Shan State National Day celebrations to be held in Taunggyi in recent times as they were forbidden between 1960 and 2014.

Shan State National Day celebrations were held in several areas of Shan State. There were also celebrations held in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the USA.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI