CNI News

13 Feb 2023

The Panglong Agreement is the key to resolving the Myanmar political crisis, Kachin politician U Kwan Gaung Aung Kham told the CNI.

It is necessary to establish the union in accordance with the Panglong Agreement and Panglong commitments, he added.

He told the CNI, "The crisis we are facing now in not a crisis that has just arisen. It has reached ite climax since the coup of Gen Ne Win in 1962. We will have to go back to the Panglong Agreement and it is necessary to establish the union in accordance with the agreement, which is the key to resolving the current crisis."

Leaders agreed in principle to exercise self-administration and self-determination in Shan State, Kachin State, Kayah State and Chin hills in the union to be established under the agreement. The agreement guaranteed the same rights for the ethnic groups as the Bamar ethnic group, according to him.

 A demonstration calling for democracy

The agreement has nothing to do with federalism to be adopted in the future union, Political Observer U Than Soe Naing told the CNI.

He said, "The agreement has nothing to do with federalism because it was an agreement for the rights of ethnic groups in Myanmar. It was just an agreement between the plain regions and hilly regions to restore independence from the British together. However, Gen Aung San told the ethnic groups that they could establish independent states of their own after a decade if they did not like the AFPFL rule. He promised such clauses would be stipulated in the constitution. The 1947 constitution guaranteed such rights. Some people who have not read the agreement are making wrong conclusions. It is very disappointing."

If the agreement puts an end to the current armed conflicts and political changes take place through bloodless political means, it is likely to be key to resolving the current political crisis, Chairman Dr Aye Maung of the Arakan Front Party told the CNI.

NUG Defence Minister U Yee Mon and the PDFs

He said, "The country, which regained independence from the British in 1948 under the 1947 constitution, has been gripped by the political crisis for 75 years and the vicious circle of the civil war has never ended. When we think about overcoming the current political and military crises, it is understandable that some people remember the Panglong Agreement which enbable Myanmar to regain independence after 75 years of crisis. We will have to transform the agreement into a key element to overcome the constitutional crisis and to turn the bloody politics into bloodless politics. It can be said that it is a correct stance and an exit from the crisis."

Establishing the union under the Panglong Agreement will turn 75 years on 12th February but the armed conflicts have not ended.