U Win Aung: "The regime could no longer justify its existence after four decades in power"
The SDU welcomes the reasonable and wise words of the Burmese Foreign Minister. If the words truly reflect the policy of the Government of Burma, the attempt by Prime Minister Khin Nyunt to resolve the long-standing conflict in Burma peacefully, around the table, will - if successful - be a great historical landmark.
The SDU, like all the people of Burma, holds that any peaceful and negotiated settlement of the country's decades old problems and decay must be inclusive, transparent, and absent any form of coercion.
As well, the SDU holds that the position of the ethnic Nationalities on the National Convention initiative is correct and stands by it. While not rejecting the Roadmap out of hand, the statement of the ethnic Nationalities stated that Prime Minister Khin Nyunt's Roadmap is not headed toward democratization but to the perpetuation of military control and thereby the legitimization of military repression.
We hold Foreign Minister - and by extension, the Government - to the noble and wise words spoken by U Win Aung.
We appeal to the governments of the world and the UN, and particular the leaders of ASEAN, China, India, and Bangladesh, to keep the praiseworthy pronouncement of the Burmese Foreign Minister on their respective radar screen.
The SDU - like all peoples of the country - calls upon the Burmese government to hold pre-National Conventions talks with political leaders, political parties, and to participate with its dialogue partners in wide and open consultation with the people, according to the standard procedures as proposed by the ethnic Nationalities leaders at the 3rd Ethnic Nationalities Seminar of January 2004.
SHAN DEMOCRATIC UNION