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Junta officials say Shan leaders participated in the charter drafting
As part of the effort to persuade the Shans to support the draft constitution, a junta township chief had recently told a meeting in northern Shan State that Shan leaders had participated in the drafting of the charter.
"Shan leaders from the ceasefire groups like Sao Gaifah (vice chairman of
the Shan State Army-"North") and others had attended the National
Convention (where the constitutional principles had been laid down),"
Namkham township chief Tin Hlaing told a public meeting held at Wanhawng
village, Wanhawng tract on 2 May. "If the people support the draft, it
would be approved, and many Shan leaders would be able to participate in the
political process."
Tin
Hlaing
The
township chief's words had been spoken at a time when the public sentiment in
Namkham, 132 miles
of Shan State North capital Lashio, was largely against the draft. Trial
pollings in the north had resulted in most people voting against it, especially
in Wanhawng.
In addition, leaflets were distributed on 30 April by youths in the Mao valley,
where the Mao-Shweli runs through, urging people to say No to the draft
charter.
The Shan State Army (SSA) north is one of the major anti-junta armed groups
that concluded ceasefire agreement with Rangoon
in 1989. It was one of 13 ceasefire groups that had jointly presented a demand
for greater say in the state affairs in 2004 at the National Convention. Their
demand was dismissed by the Convention's organizers.
Villagers tortured for "not seeing" the rebels