The leader of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy has encouraged everyone to support the upcoming Union Peace Conference (also called the 21st Century Panglong Conference) during the recent 8888 Uprising anniversary in commercial capital Rangoon.
U Khun Htun Oo said: “The conference will only be successful if the public, military and democratic forces work together.”
He urged the public to work together for achieving peace, democracy and national reconciliation.
“We still need to work harder to establish a democratic federal union and prosperity of the country, which was the main goal of the 8888 Uprising. We, the ethnic alliance, have joined the UNFC (United Nationalities Federal Council) to have the same voice. We must work for unity of all ethnic people,” Khun Htun Oo said--adding that Shan people must work for all the ethnic groups and the union and not just their own group.
During the 8888 Uprising, thousands that were mainly led by students took to the streets in 1988 to protest against the military government.
Starting last year, the Burma Army has conducted a series of heavy offensives against the SNLD despite the fact that the Shan armed group signed a ceasefire in 2012. The fighting has displaced thousands of villagers in northern Shan State.
Reporting by Sai Aung Saing for SHAN
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
