Shan Party leader writes to Than Shwe

Shan Party leader writes to Than Shwe

The leader of the only legal Shan party in Burma wrote a letter to Gen. Than Shwe informing him of the junta's latest move to force its members to resign, reported a source close to the party. (7 May) 
Khun Htoon Oo, 57, President of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, who is based in Rangoon, filed the complaint to the Chairman of the ruling military council, known as the State Peace and Development Council, a few days after he received a report from the branch committee in Mongkerng, 108 miles northeast of Taunggyi, he said. 

The report was submitted to him by Sai Thein Kyaw, Chairman of Mongkerng branch, and Sai Awn, who was elected M.P. in the 1990 elections. However, details of Khun Htoon Oo's protest letter to Than Shwe was not disclosed. 

The Mongkerng branch executive committee members were summoned on 28 May to the Township Peace and Development Council office where the demand to resign and dissolve the party branch was given, reported Media News Group on 2 June. 

"For the sake of their personal safety, the party is not likely to object to their submission of resignations, but it's up to the party to decide whether or not to approve them," said the source. 
"It is a deliberate attempt by the junta to undermine the Tripartite Dialogue," said Sai Win Pay, M.P. of Monghsu, who has been in exile for two years. 

Another source said, "The military clique is not in favor of the three-way dialogue (among the military, the Burman opposition and the non-Burmans). Gen. Khin Nyunt had already made known to the ceasefire leaders (on 26 March) that as he himself would be speaking for the non-Burmans there wasn't any need for the Tripartite Dialogue as called for by the groups earlier (on 1 March)." 
Khun Htoon Oo is a scion of the Hsipaw House, whose late uncle was none other than Sao Kya Hseng, the Prince of Hsipaw, who was immortalized in "Twilight over Burma," a memoir by his Austrian consort, lnge Sargent, who now lives in the United States. 

"Unlike in previous years, when foreign envoys often dropped in to see him during their visits, he was no longer allowed to meet either Razali, the UN envoy, or Pineiro, the UN human rights rapporteur on their visits this year," said the source. "He happened to be out of town every time they came. This time he and his family just happened to be at the Ngapli seaside resort (in Arakan State)". 

Ismail Razali was in Rangoon from 1-4 June. 

According to the Democratic Voice of Burma, 3 February, Police Col. Soe Win, Chief of the police force, told a state-division level meeting held last November in Rangoon that the SNLD had, like its counterpart the NLD, become an organization that could destroy the unity of the nation and must be kept under watch at all times.