BURMA DIGEST

BURMA DIGEST

01.10.2006

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The desire of the people is paramount

_ By Sai Wansai

On the occasion of 18th anniversary National League for Democracy Party (NLD) formation, the Shan Democratic Union, on behalf of the people of Shan State, would like to extend our heartfelt congratulation and best wishes for its commitment to the restoration of democracy and ethnic harmony in Burma.

While the achievement of the said goals are not yet in sight, due to the monopolisation of political power by the military junta for decades, NLD has come a long way in mobilising the mass and building political awareness within and outside the country.

With the recent arrest of student leaders, Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe and Min Zeya, the military junta has shown its unwillingness to yield to the people's aspiration of democratic and universal human rights.

Burma is now firmly on the United Nations Security Council's agenda. The outside democratic forces have come a long way to reach this stage, but more push and lobbying is needed to keep the issue burning at international level.

Subsequently, this international achievement or awareness building could be coupled with the struggle of inside forces to make the change possible. The NLD has been at the forefront in leading the mass and opinion making, although at times, it has been hard to manoeuvre, due to the repressive nature of the military regime.

It goes without saying that the desire of the people is paramount, but we could reach our cherished goals, of restoring democracy and ethnic harmony, only by reinforcing and empowering the existing links between the people, the NLD together with all the ethnic political organisations and the highly vocal exiled activist groups.

We all hope that the NLD will continue to play a more crucial role than ever, as the international actors begin to take more attention to remedy our suffering by helping restore democracy and resolving the armed and political conflicts, which have been going on for decades.

Sai Wansai

General Secretary

Shan Democratic Union

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