1.
Today marks the 75" anniversary of the signing of the Panglong Agreement
on 12 February 1947. On that day, ethnic representatives representing Burma
proper, the Federated Shan States, the Kachin Hills, and Chin Hills signed and
together pledged to achieve independence from the British Colonial Empire and to
build a Federal Democratic Union where there would be co-existence and equality
in good times and bad, without compromising the right to self-determination.2.
However, since independence, this Federal Democratic Union could not be
established due to military dictatorships, chauvinism, one-party
authoritarianism, and successive governments that politicized and exploited
ethnicity, language, and religion in an attempt to divide and rule.3.
Successive governments used lies and manipulation to pretend as if a Federal
Democratic Union, to which so many ethnic peoples aspired, had indeed been
established while violating commitments contained within the Panglong Agreement
by exercising a Unitary State system. Nonetheless, while celebrating the 12"
of February as Union Day, throughout the years, they methodically portrayed, with
clear political intentions, ethnic nationalities who strove for a Federal
Democratic Union as destructive elements, subjecting them to systematic discrimination
and acts of brutal oppression and persecution.4.
It is important that revolutionary forces, including the National Unity
Government, see clearly the suffering and losses ethnic peoples have faced due to
the failure of previous successive governments in implementing the Panglong
Agreement and related commitments and recognize the utmost importance of
preventing it from happening once again in the future and of implementing the Panglong
Agreement and related commitments precisely. Additionally, it is necessary to
form a Federal Democratic Union that ethnic peoples want in accordance with the
Panglong Agreement, Panglong commitments and the Federal Democracy Charter. Only
after eradicating military dictatorship and all forms of dictatorship can a Federal
Democratic Union be established.5.
We urge the National Unity Government, a government of and representing the
people, to take full responsibility and accountability for, and apologize to
all those who have suffered from discrimination, oppression, crimes against
humanity, war crimes and genocide perpetrated by military dictators, and
governments of the past, and urge the National Unity Government to take
decisive actions accordingly.6.
We, the National Unity Consultative Council, express our most sincere apologies
to all ethnic peoples and indeed, to all peoples for violations of the Panglong
Agreement and commitments made by previous successive governments, and for the historical
brutality, oppression, violence, bullying, and discrimination these groups have
suffered.7.
The National Unity Consultative Council solemnly pledges to work tirelessly and
consistently to eradicate all forms of dictatorship, including military
dictatorship, to implement solidarity and commitments based on the Panglong
Agreement, Panglong commitments and fundamental principles contained within the
Federal Democracy Charter, to abolish nationalism, and to build the Federal Democratic
Union that all ethnic peoples want.With
loyalty to the revolution
National
Unity Consultative Council
