Union Day and Panglong Agreement

Today is the Union Day of Burma. 59 years ago, on this day, general Aung San and leaders from ethnic groups of Burma gathered at Panglong and signed the historic agreement called Panglong Agreement. Generally, they agreed to cooperate with Burmese government so that federation of partially self-governing states can be formed.

THE PANGLONG AGREEMENT

Dated Panglong, the 12th
February 1947

THE PANGLONG AGREEMENT, 1947

A conference having been held at Panglong, attended by certain Members of the Executive Council of the Governor of Burma, all Saohpas and representative of the Shan States, the Kachin Hills and the Chin Hills:

The Members of the conference, believing that freedom will be more speedily achieved by the Shans, the Kachins and the Chins by their immediate co-operation with the Interim Burmese Government:

A Representative of the Hill Peoples, selected by the Governor on the recommendation of representatives of the Supreme Council of the United Hill Peoples (SCOUHP), shall be appointed a Counsellor for Frontier Areas shall be given executive authority by similar means.

The said Counsellor shall also be appointed a Member of the Governor's Executive Council, without portfolio, and the subject of Frontier Areas brought within the purview of the Executive Council by Constitutional Convention as in the case of Defence and External Affairs. The Counsellor for Frontier Areas shall be given executive authority by similar means.

The said Counsellor shall be assisted by two Deputy Counsellors representing races of which he is not a member. While the two Deputy Counsellors should deal in the first instance with the affairs of their respective areas and the Counsellor with all the remaining parts of the Frontier Areas, they should by Constitutional Convention act on the principle of joint responsibility.

While the Counsellor, in his capacity of Member of the Executive Council, will be the only representative of the Frontier Areas on the Council, the Deputy Counsellors shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Council when subjects pertaining to the Frontier Areas are discussed.

Though the Governor's Executive Council will be augmented as agreed above, it will not operate in respect of the Frontier Areas in any manner which would deprive any portion of those Areas of the autonomy which it now enjoys in internal administration. Full autonomy in internal administration for the Frontier Areas is accepted in principle.

Though the question of demarcating and establishing a separated Kachin State within a Unified Burma is one which must be relegated for decision by the Constituent Assembly, it is agreed that such a State is desirable. As a first step towards this end, the Counsellor for Frontier Areas and the Deputy Counsellors shall be consulted in the administration of such areas in the Myitkyina and the Bhamo Districts as are Part II Scheduled Areas under the Government of Burma Act of 1935.

Citizens of the Frontier Areas shall enjoy rights and privileges which are regarded as fundamental in democratic countries.

The arrangements accepted in this Agreement are without prejudice to the financial autonomy now vested in the Federated Shan States.

The arrangements accepted in this Agreement are without prejudice to the financial assistance which the Kachin Hills and the Union Hills are entitled to receive from the revenues of Burma, and the Exeutive Council will examine with the Frontier Areas Counsellor and Deputy Counsellors the feasibility of adopting for the Kachin Hills and the Chin Hills financial arrangement similar to those between Burma and the Federated Shan States.

Shan Committee.		Kachin Committee.	Burmese Government.
(Signed) Saohpalong of Tawngpeng State.		(Signed) (Sinwa Naw, Myitkyina)	(Signed) (Aung San)
(Signed) Saohpalong of Yawnghwe State.		(Signed) (Zau Rip, Myitkyina)
(Signed) Saohpalong of North Hsenwi State.		(Signed) (Dinra Tang, Myitkyina)
(Signed) Saohpalong of Laihka State.		(Signed) (Zau La, Bhamo)
(Signed) Saohpalong of Mong Pawn State.		(Signed) (Zau Lawn, Bhamo)
(Signed) Saohpalong of Hsamonghkam State.		(Signed) (Labang Grong, Bhamo)
(Signed) Representative of Hsahtung Saohpalong. (Hkun Pung)
(Signed) (U Tin E)	(Signed) (U Htun Myint)	Chin Committee
(Signed) (U Kya Bu)	(Signed) (Hkun Saw)	(Signed) (U Hlur Hmung, Falam)
(Signed) (Sao Yape Hpa)	(Signed) (Hkun Htee)	(Signed) (U Thawng Za Khup, Tiddim)
		(Signed) (U Kio Mang, Haka)

Source: http://jarmtoon.myweb.hinet.net/mainfile/panglong.htm  [Link via degolar]

Image courtesy of  jarmtoon.myweb.hinet.net

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