Shan party receives advice letter from Shan students

From: Kawli Media

Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) obtained a letter sent by Shan university students in Bangkok showing their supports and recommendations for the party, according to SNLD’s spokesperson Sai Leik.

“We received the letter yesterday and we really appreciate to obtain such kind of recommendations from young students,” Sai Leik said, adding that this is a good example for all Shan students inside and outside the country.

“We do understand that they exercise their rights to express their concerns for our party and especially for Shan people,” he continued, “we are open to any criticism and would like to let people know that their suggestions and recommendations are more than welcomed.”

The letter was sent by a student group called Shan University Students-Bangkok (SUS-BKK), founded in 2011 and comprised of over 40 students from different universities such as Rangsit University International College, Bangkok University International College, Ramkhamheang University, Chulalongkorn University, Mahachulalongkorn University, Assumption University and Shinnawatra University in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nang Korn Kham, SUS-BKK’s Chairperson, said they sent the letter to SNLD for two main reasons; to express their concerns for the health of Shan leader Hkun Htun Oo and to wish him well, and to express their thoughts and voices as SNLD represents the people of Shan State.

“Since we think that the current phase is a crucial time in Burma’s political transition or turning point, we as the students and youth of Shan State would like to send message to our leaders that we do concern for the future of the people of Shan State and Burma,” said Nang Korn Kham.

She added that they knew the party’s leaders might have already been aware of their recommendations. “But we would like to raise our voices, contribute our participation, and give them encouragement,” she said, hoping that SNLD would take their voices and concerns into deep consideration.

Sai Leik said that they would take these recommendations into serious consideration and would try their best to better serve the people needs and rights.  ”We also need the help of young educated people inside and outside the country to work together for our national cause,” he said.

According to the spokesperson, the letter stated that as SNLD has re-registered as a political party, it should prepare and campaign not only for the Shan people in Shan State but also for Shan people living in Thailand as well. The letter mentioned that the party should develop strategy in using different media platforms like print, online, multimedia and social network like Facebook to reach the mass audience, Sai Leik said.

Concerning with those students’ suggestions to use multimedia for the campaign, Sai Leik said, SNLD is planning to publish a news journal and to use multimedia techniques like making VCDs and using online media to reach and educate people about their policy and standpoints.

Students also urged SNLD to consider promoting education opportunity for young people to be able to study not only in Burma but also in foreign countries in different fields of study. The letter stated that it would be better if SNLD could have scholarship program supporting students in every township in Shan State and offering internship programs for students, said Sai Leik.

As SNLD just started re-building, re-organizing the party and setting up new offices, Sai Leik said, it might be a bit difficult to offer any internship and scholarship programs at the moment because they are still in the process of forming temporary Central Executive Committee and recruiting party members. After that they would be able to provide for students, he said.

SNLD was instructed by the Election Commission that it needs to get at least one thousand members in three months after getting permission to run as a political party. Now they have two months left to recruit the quota and send to the Commission.

SNLD won 23 seats in the 1990 election, in which it was the second largest winner after National League for Democracy (NLD). Its leaders including Chairman Hkun Htun Oo and general secretary Sai Nyunt Lwin and other seven Shan leaders were arrested and put into jails for many years for boycotting the National Convention in 2005. After their leaders were released from prisons in an amnesty granted by President Thein Sein, SNLD re-registered as a political party.