Human Rights Situation in Shan State of (the Union of) Burma From 1947 up to the present

By Seng Wan • August 1, 2011

The Shan State is country, 62,500 square miles, situated on the plateau, in the N.Eastern part of Burma. It is bordered by China in the north-east, Laos in the east and Thailand in the south.

The Tai/Shan live in the area that is today’s Shan State or Mong Tai of Burma for over a thousand years. Shan State comprises about a quarter of the land mass of Burma. In the early part of their migration the Tai ruled over Tai states” that are in today’s China, Laos and Thailand as well as other parts of Burma Proper. While the geographic spread of these states includes many ethnic groups the majority of both the population and the rulers, called Sao Hpa was Shan. In Shan State this tradition continued until 1962.

In 1886, the Shan State came under the British rule but retained its autonomous status and was allowed to rule by its own Shan rulers.

In 1947, the Shan, Kachin and Chin Leaders signed an agreement; “the Panglong Agreement”i with the Burmans represented by Bogyoke Aungsan, the father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

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