by Maung Chan （Burma’s Chinese）

   Burmese generals are “the grandsons” of the Fascist Japanese of the Second World-War .They have firm faith that

   1.political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.

   2.Tell a lie 1000 times,then it becomes the truth”.

   They uphold the great Burman Chauvinism to wage a genocidal war on all ethnic nationalities.They use bullets, bayonets, jails,deceits etc to oppress all people’s movements , such as the student movements of 1962 ,1974 etc and the 1988 nation-wide democratic movement . They refused shamelessly the demand of transfering power to the democratic forces who won the general election in 1990.They robbed the people of their wealth since 1963-4 by means of “nationalisation” , “declaring the bank notes null and void” or under the names of “fatherland”,”parents-people” .

   The Burmese generals kill you at the spot with no admittance, regardless of whether you are Burmans or non-Burmans, with or without arms,if you are a real threat to them.They shout loudly “safeguard the nation integration” or “defence people.’s unity”,in reality it is these generals who have launched the civil war till now wracking the nation and ruining the people! It is these generals who have plundered the people and brought our rich and prosperous Burma into one of the poorest, the most backbard,the most corrupt and the most instable lands in the world!

   The people can not bear for any time. By upholding the flag of “give me liberty or give me death!”，the people of all nationalities fight the military regime indignantly by surging wave upon wave .

   Look!

   -- The non-Burman ethnic armed opposition groups formed on 10 May 1976 the NDF (National Democratic Front).

   --The Burman and non-Burman ethnic groups established in November 1988 the DAB (Democratic Alliance of Burma).

   --Members of NLD who have been forced to flee Burma built the NLD-LA (National League for Democracy-Liberated Area) in February 1991 and operated activities in Burma or along Thai-Burma border.

   --Members of the elected representatives from the 1990 general elections formed the MPU (Members of Parliament Union) in May 1996.

   --Eelected members of parliament from the NLD and three non-Burman ethnic parties established in December 18, 1990 The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) at the former opposition headquarters of Manerplaw with the full support of all opposition groups.After the fall of Manerplaw ,they moved to USA becoming the Burmese government in exile.

   All the above-mentioned peace groups and armed forces of Burman and non-Burman parties and organisations united to form in August 1992 the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB). It is the broadest-based umbrella organization of the pro-democracy Burman and non-Burman ethnic nationalities. It opposes the Burmese military dictatorship and promotes understanding and cooperation among Burma’s ethnic groups. It tries best to bring about a democratic system of government that guarantees human rights for all Burma’s citizens and establish a Federal Union under which equality among all ethnic groups is guaranteed .

   On the celebration of the 39th anniversary of the Union Day on Feb 12,2006, recall themselves all the above-mentioned opposition forces,Burmans and non-Burmans, pro-democracy parties and the armed forces,including the Burmese government in exile:

    --On Feb 12,1947, General Aung San and the Anti-Fascist & People’s Freedom League represented the Burma Proper and signed the Panglong Agreement in Shan State with leaders of Shan,Kachin,Chin ethnic nationalities. They promised to demand the united independence from England on the federal base that every nationality has rights of equality and self-determination.

   --Soon after General Aung San had been assaccinated, the Anti-Fascist & People’s Freedom League supported by the Chauvinistic Burma army, betrayed the Panglong Agreement and began to oppress all ethnic nationalities.They put all ethnic states under their central government’s rule and neglected totally the will of the independent Karenni State.Thus the civil war broke up.

   --Although the Union Constitution is allowed to revise, the central authority refused to take action on time.

   --Under the pretext of Chinese KMT’s invasion, the Chauvinistic Burmese army occupied the Shan State and put it under Burmese military rule.

   --Without consulting with Kachin State,the Burmese central government ceded Kachin territory Hpimao,Kawlan and Ganhpan to China.

   --Announcing the Buddhism to become the Religion of Union of Burma.

   All these facts violated national equality, Union Constitution, human rights and democracy ,betrayed the Panglong Agreement and intensified the existing civil war.

   The Chauvinistic Burmese generals have brought more wracks and ruins to our country and people as follows:

   --In 1962, when all political parties and national leaders were discussing to revise the Union Constitution, the junta led by General Ne Win seized the state power , abolished the Union Constitution and the parliament-democracy system. The arch usurper General Ne Win ,just like a thief crying “Stop thief”,said that the ethnic leaders of Shan, Mon, Arakan “being federalist, so are nation dis-integrators. We Burmese army is rescuing our dis-integrating country and our suffering people ”.

   --The rights to revise the Constitution was laid aside at first and the Constitution totally abolished by the junta at last. Thus the civil war spread nationwide, destroying the spirit of Panglong Agreement and national unity. The Union of Burma exists finally in name only.

   --From 1962 to 1974, the Burmese Fascist generals ruled the country lawlessly for 13 years. The Fascist generals’ BSPP（Burmese Socialist Program Party）fabricated in 1974 a new Constitution and ruled the country under one party dictatorship for another 14 years at its will. As democracy and human rights had been restlessly trampled, people were beyond endurance and outbursted the 1988 national uprising, which ended the junta’s BSPP party and sham constitution .

   The actual facts tell us that the problems of Union of Burma are directly coming out of violating and abolishing the Panglong Agreement and the Union Constitution. The Burmese generals have misused 1947 constitution and its 1974 constitution to do what they want for 28 years.Another 30 years’ rule is lawless and the junta has done at its will too.

   The history convinces us, only when we follow the spirit of Panlong Agreement and establish the genuine federal union, our country can have a prosperous future.

   Now, the people of Burma and international community discover:

   --Burma junta is using its power and hand-picked puppet to convene its convention in order to create its constitution and prolong its Fascist dictatorial rule.

   --the nationwide opposition forces, i.e. NLD, UNLD, electived parliamentary members etc , are also holding their people’s congress to draft the genuine Union Constitution, in order to oppose the junta’s sham constitution and establish the genuine federal union.

   --The forces of democracy and ethnic nationalities in the liberated area and in exile, and the UN human rights groups have co-condemned the junta’s sham convention and recommended 8 proposals for the genuine Federal Union of Burma unter construction.

   Sai Wansai, General Secretary of the Shan Democratic Union，pointed out,“Our country is called Union (Pyidaung-zu in Burmese) of Burma. Pyidaung-zu means the coming together of several and different national states.As the name signifies, it was a union of equal national states with no state subordinated to another, and no ethnic group superior or subordinated to others”.He calls on the people and nations of all states, leaders, political parties, fronts, armies, activist networks, societal associations, women and youth, to join together to restore the true Union, to rebuild the country, the state, and the respective communities and ethnic cultures, languages, traditions, and restore pride in diverse ways and unique identities.