The Palaung Land Website

Posted By admin on January 28, 2009

Respected guests from allied organization, allied forces, comrades, ladies and gentlemen, firstly, I would like to say my gratitude to all of you for your presence at our Palaung national revolution day, on behalf of Palaung people and on behalf of members of our organization.

Today marks 46th anniversary of our revolution day of Palaung nationality and it is auspicious for our Palaung national liberation movement. Today, Palaung people have began our struggle for receiving our basic political rights equally with other nationals, for fulfilling equality, justice, and self-determination as our national identity prescribed and today, we are celebrating this ceremony every year in honor of our national movement as a great national cause.

Historical processes are cornerstones of today activities and our today’s action will definitely lay foundation for our future. We are struggling today for our rights and justice, but the action also means for well-being and progress of our future generation.

On the occasion of this auspicious revolution day, our members should reflect our history and must learn lessons from it. We must reflect the past and should evaluate correctly. After then, our members will find obviously important tasks that we have to proceed undauntedly for our great cause. For being your consideration, I would like to highlight some important aspect of our history on this auspicious occasion.

Traditionally, Palaung nationalities have ruled themselves with their traditional rulers and Swaphas, and Palaung had started their cooperation in administration with Burmese authorities since 1876, during the reign of Khun Kham Mein. Power conflicts within the Palaung rulers had forced seeking help from Burmese rulers and which make Palaung land protectorate to Burmese kings.

In the anti-colonial movement history, Saopha Khun Kham Mein of Palaung proudly maintained a legacy of the first anti-colonial hero in Shan State, since he not only didn’t bow down his loyalty to British rulers, but also he resisted against British occupation.

Moreover, during independence struggle after WW II, Sao Khun Pan Sein, son of historic Sao Kham Mein led ethnic leaders from frontier Shan areas, as Saopha Council of Shan State, and signed historic “Panglong Accord”, with Burmese national leader Gen. Aung San, for showing their support for independence and for a lasting national unity. Since Sao Khun Pan Sein was one of the trusted people for Gen. Aung San and top Burmese leaders, he was even nominated for the first president of independent Burma. I particularly highlight the fact that Palaung nationals are strongly stood in independence struggle and we must be proud for our ethnic identity and heritage.

Sao Khun Pan Sein played a crucial role in attaining national unity in Burma together with Gen. Aung San. However, the efforts of our great leaders from “Panglong Accord” had fallen fracture after assassination of Gen. Aung San and other martyrs and our dream for ethnic equality and equality between frontier areas and Burma proper, and a national unity based on this equality had wrecked into pieces. Burma cannot transform itself into a genuine union and since the ethnic peoples could no longer make their voice peacefully for their equality and self-determination, the armed insurrection surged in Shan State in 1958. During those days, Shans and Palaung had worked together under the same Shan State revolutionary banner for the benefits of our losing rights and suffering of all ethnic nationalities in Shan State.

Later according to the Burma’s political situation, Palaung National Force (PNF) was founded in January 12, 1963, for protecting its own Palaung national security, for standing equally with other nationalities and to avoid themselves from manipulation of others and emerging a national force, which can lead all Palaung nationals for administration of their own fate. The date which the PNF was founded was taken as our national pride and we have been cerebrating similar ceremony every year as today and now it reaches to 46th anniversary.

The PNF had kept its armed struggle successfully and enjoyed popular support from Palaung population. The PNF had adopted right military and organizational strategies and in 1976, it was transformed into Palaung State Liberation Organization (PSLO).

However, in April 1991, PSLO entered ceasefire agreement with the SPDC junta, after several rounds of talks, after profound military pressure against Palaung region in 1990-91.

During the 13 years of ceasefire, starting from 1991 until 2005, the PSLO leaders can maintain some extent of stability, and some works on regional development, building roads and transportation facilities by self-reliant efforts. However, in 2005, the military authorities bleached their promises and forced the PSLO leaders by various means to hand over their weapons to the Burmese army. Although these Palaung leaders were forced to give up their arms by unfavorable circumstances, their enthusiasm for Palaung people and their resistance spirit is still strong. They are still helping the Palaung resistance movement from their capable corners. I would like to say they are still helping our movement from some aspects as much as they can.

The reason behind the PSLO surrender of their arms to Burmese army was largely because of internal conflicts, disunity among the leaders and regional grouping among the PSLO leaders and the junta who knows these weak points took advantages upon them. This event was great loss for Palaung nationals and we recognize the day as a sorrowful day for Palaung people. Nevertheless, our Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF) will lead, will bear responsibilities of Palaung people and will work together with Palaung people, other nationalities, allied forces, and other oppositions, and we will continue our struggle until we get peace in our land, that we promise firmly on the great occasion of today anniversary.

I would like to draw your attention to unfinished great tasks, which we must accomplish from our respective corners and with our capable strength on the occasion of 46th anniversary of Palaung revolution day. For practically implementing these tasks without failing, we must learn and qualify ourselves constantly. From our learning process, we may develop the right idea, the right attitude and the right strategy for our movement.

Finally, I would like to urge you, to keep patriotic spirit, to develop love to our people, to be strong yourself for our struggle, seek unity among ourselves and with allies, and walk tirelessly to our national political goals that our martyrs and heroes, as well as, our great fathers, foresee in the past. Moreover, while we must not forget and betray to those who sacrificed their blood, sweat, and lives for our national cause, we need to strive tirelessly and with unity to achieve our goals in near future.

Thank you.

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