Kalay Declaration: Ethnic and Democratic Leaders Inside Burma Working for a Unified National Reconciliation Conference

By Burma Partnership • November 6, 2010

Recently a significant grouping of ethnic, democratic, and student and youth leaders proposed a plan that could potentially lead to an end of Burma’s political stalemate. Known as the Kalay Declaration, this pact has been gathering momentum and support from important political and ethnic leaders, and veteran politicians from across Burma.

On October 24th, the Zomi National Congress (ZNC), a 1990 election winning party, met in Kalay Township, Sagaing Division, for their 22nd anniversary. The Zomi are an ethnic group in western Burma and the ZNC are known for being very strong and active in working to promote democracy. They came together with other democratic leaders in the country, and collectively made a declaration of commitment to begin a consultative dialogue towards the creation of a federal union, or as they also put it, a 2nd Panglong Agreement.

The Panglong Agreement holds great significance in Burma’s history. It was signed in 1947, a year before independence, and set the vision for a future peaceful Burma where all ethnic nationalities could live together in a federal union. Independence hero and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, General Aung San lead the consultation with members of the Kachin, Shan and Chin ethnic groups to forge a common understanding of a federal

union, where all people would have full rights of equality and self-determination.

This vision was never realized and instead of furthering peace and progress, the past five decades of centralized military rule has brought greater ethnic inequality through ongoing armed conflict, mass displacement of populations, destruction of thousands of communities, and one of the worst chronic humanitarian crises in Asia. The military regime has drastically destroyed the trust of the ethnic nationalities of Burma, employing force and other brutal methods to dominate peoples and natural resources. Furthermore, instead of honoring the results of the 1990 election, the military claimed there needed to be an additional process before the formation of a parliament. The National Convention was promised by the military regime to be a process of addressing concerns of ethnic equality and federalism, however these issues were continually ignored. Instead of building trust and cooperation, the military has installed their centralized control.

The ZNC made it clear, together with other democratic leaders at this historical 22^nd anniversary, that the 2008 Constitution and the 2010 election cannot and will not guarantee national reconciliation; something must be done to ensure that all nationalities have the right to self-determination.

This 2^nd Panglong Conference would seek to address the problems with the Constitution. Despite the military regime claiming that they achieved 92% approval in the constitutional referendum, the reality is that most major ethnic groups and democratic forces in Burma do not support the 2008 Constitution that will be brought into effect with the elections. The country risks a resurgence of armed conflict because of the 2008 Constitution’s denial of a true federal system.

The Kalay Declaration states that this 2nd Panglong Conference must be held “to establish a Federal Union based on democracy and equality for all ethnic nationalities dwelling in Burma, rather than a centralized country or separatist states. All ethnic nationalities must work together for the conference to occur.” This call, initiated by ethnic leaders, clearly states that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should lead this process of genuine national dialogue.

This call for a national consultation process is not new, and has been made by many democratic and ethnic forces for years. But this new declaration, initiated by ethnic leaders and supported by youth activists inside Burma, aims to match words with unified action. They are gathering strong commitment of action from a wide reaching number of political and ethnic leaders from around the country.

The Kalay Declaration is signed by leaders of key political parities from the 1990 elections – the National League for Democracy (NLD), Committee Representing People’s Parliament, Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), United Nationalities League for Democracy (UNLD), Veteran Politicians, Karen National Congress for Democracy (KNCD).

These leaders are determined to make this 2nd Panglong conference a reality, as they see it as an absolute necessity in order to begin to rectify Burma’s constitutional crisis. Right now they are traveling the country, talking with leaders, laying the groundwork to convene a conference that is as comprehensive and inclusive as possible.

Regardless of what happens on election day tomorrow, this sort of meeting is still essential in order to move the country ahead, instead maintaining its current course of distrust and military domination. Burma is in desperate need of national reconciliation, and these leaders and ethnic representatives are working to see its realization.

The international community should voice support for these rightful leaders of Burma realize convening of the 2^nd Panglong Conference where the foundation of a genuine federal union can finally be laid down. Only such a process of dialogue with ethnic and democracy representatives will fulfill the desire of the people of Burma for national reconciliation, peace and equality.

Download the full Declaration in Burmese or English (unofficial translation).

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Kalay Declaration: Ethnic and Democratic Leaders Inside Burma Working for a Unified National Reconciliation Conference

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