Our country is home to different ethnic races and people professing different faiths and speaking different languages, and is thus, a perfect model for a Union. Diversity is the beauty of our country and our strength, too.
On this day (12 February) in 1947, our ethnic leaders signed the Panglong Agreement, which served as a historical milestone in our independence movement. Our leaders managed to turn our diversity into united strength, and we regained our independence and sovereignty on 4 January, 1948.
However, due to the legacy of evil and several other reasons, misunderstandings, mistrust, and doubt crept in among the ethic people, leading to 70 years of armed conflicts, and the fire of armed conflicts has not yet ceased.
Only the united strength of the ethnic people and their commitment can help preserve and perpetuate independence and sovereignty and prevent the disintegration of the Union.
The most important requirement for the perpetuation of the Union, in which ethnic people with different languages, literature, culture, and customs are residing together, is building a Democratic Federal Union.
While marching towards the goal of a Democratic Federal Union, it is important to build trust and reduce conflicts between diverse ethnic armed groups. We can achieve this by promoting mutual respect and value.
The unity of the ethnic people is connected with the peace and development of the country. Just lip service cannot unite all diverse ethnic people. Friendly relations based on sympathy, and understanding and mutual respect for customs and culture can strengthen the unity of the national races.
We must believe we need unity and we must accept it is our responsibility to bring true, long-lasting peace to our country, which gained independence in the 20th century.
For our objectives to be realized we need to build understanding among ourselves. And, trust.
So far, 10 ethnic armed groups have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, and some are yet to sign the NCA. Armed conflicts are still happening in some areas. Ceasing armed conflicts and signing the NCA are urgent requirements.
We are marching on the path to democracy and that requires the fulfillment of democratic duties. At the top of those duties is finding a political solution through peaceful means, which is most important.
If someone fails to get the answer through peaceful and electoral methods, then it means their skills are inadequate.
That is why we would like to implore ethnic armed organizations which have not yet signed the NCA to participate in strengthening development and peace so that our nation can prosper.
GNLM
