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Non-Burmans concludes 8-day seminar on "Open Space" 

As questions of whether Rangoon would agree to open talks with non-Burmans loomed, leaders of several ethnic groups emerged from their 8-day long seminar yesterday with expressed satisfaction over their achievements.

"All have agreed upon two points: Tripartite Dialogue and Right of Self Determination," said Sao Seng Suk, Spokesperson for the Shan Democratic Union and Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission-Shan State. 

The seminar, jointly organized by the the National Democratic Front, an umbrella organization of armed non-Burman resistance movements and International Conflict Resolution Program of Columbia University from New York, was participated in by 35 representatives, among whom were Sao Seng Suk, Sao Awng Mart and Sao Htun Aye from Shan; Hkun Okker and Hkun Tetlu from Pa-O; Khaing Soe Naing Aung, Khaing Myo Min and Ms. Saw Mra Raza Lin from Arakan; Padoe Ba Thin, Gen. Shwe Hser and Gen Mutu from Karen; Khu Ooreh and Byareh Paulu from Karenni; Bernard L. Chhangma from Chin and Andrea Bartoli, Erin DeOrnellas and Louisa Benson Craig from the United States. 

"We did not discuss about the issue of Independence," said an unnamed representative to S.H.A.N., "because if there were a genuine federal union, we knew none of us would reject it." 

The Karenni National Progress Party, the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Arakanese 4-party Coalition are known to be fighting for Independence. Among the seven existing states, only the Karenni and Shan State, according to the 1947 Union Constitution, enjoy the right of secession. 
Many representatives also spoke highly of the Open Space technology "imported" by the Columbia team. "It has served well by creating an atmosphere that allows us to speak freely and openly about what we normally wouldn't have allowed ourselves to speak about at formal meetings," said Pa-o representative Hkun Tetlu, "thereby achieving a spirit of intimacy that would have been unthinkable in other circumstances." 

Open Space Technology, also known as agendaless method, founded by Harrison Owen, is, according to the Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Jossey-Bass Publishers, highly effective "for issues that affect the whole organization or system, in situations of high conflict and when you can't think of anything else to do." People attending a meeting create their own agenda by sitting in a large circle with open space, hence the coining of the name for the method, in the middle. 

No formal agreements, however, were reached by the seminar.