U Sai Aung Myint Khaing of Shan Nationals Democratic Party (SNDP)
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Joint-Secretary (1) of the Shan Nationals Democratic Party (SNDP) U Sai Aung Myint Khaing presented the policy, political outlook and programs of his party on 3 February 2017 from the Radio and TV programs.
The full text of his presentation is given below:
Maing Sun Kha – Mingalabar,
May I first of all greet all ethnic nationals, citizens of the Union by wishing them auspiciousness. I am U Sai Aung Myint Khaing, Joint Secretary (1) of the Shan Nationals Democratic Party (or) White Tiger Party.
If I were to present the aims and objectives of the White Tiger Party, they are as follows:
The main aim of our party is not just imaginations and hopes but to get practical results. We do not give priority to confrontation and opposition but for the building of Federal Union of Myanmar.
Our aims are:
• To build a Federal Union.
• Establish a State Government made up of resident ethnic nationals.
• To work for the unity of one racial group and henceforth for the unity of the whole Union.
Brother ethnic nationals,
(1) The meaning of “Federal” is not to secede but to unify.
– States will obtain equal rights and executive powers for the purpose of equality.
– The Union Government will exercise collectively the rights and executive powers on behalf of others.
– All rights and executive powers that are due to the States should be equally shared.
These are the genuine principles of a Federal Union system.
What we mean when we say “Federal” are the above principles.
(2) Our aim of forming a State Government with resident ethnic nationals is not to get power for our own selfish interests.
It is only the resident ethnic nationals who understand most what we need. They are the ones who know how to work for development on an equitable basis. We will be able to build a beautiful life for all of us only when we have the executive power to fashion our own destiny.
For a political party, the most important thing is to gain political power to enable it to implement its political programs in accordance with its policy. We need to keep lofty objectives to work for the benefit of the people after gaining political power.
Some people say, after taking the moral high ground that contesting in the elections is not to gain political power. They give promises that the common people like and say that they did not need political power, and that they do not wish to work effectively for the national interest. In fact if they do not know how to do it, if they did not want political power, why contest in the elections in the first place. How can they help the people? This is what we want to ask. Isn’t it true that all of us are contesting in the elections because we want political power?
As for our party, we are contesting in the elections because we want political power. Only when we get political power will we be able to work for the interest of the State and work on things that relate to the development of our people namely fundamental things such as projects for road and bridges, projects to create job opportunities, economic projects, and projects to elevate the living standards and socio-economic life of the people.
Brother ethnic nationals.
(3) Our country is a country in which many groups of ethnic nationals are living together. Big ethnic national groups and small ethnic national groups are scattered all over the country. These ethnic national groups should work for unity of their various groups and from that try to work for the unity of the ethnic nationals of the Union.
Political parties representing ethnic nationals should work for the unity of their parties. Only then will they be able to work for the benefit of National Unity. Furthermore, all ethnic nationals should be able to live on good terms with the ethnic national groups living in their areas. They should feel grateful and also understand how the areas have been providing support for their livelihood. Only then will we see the emergence of the federal democratic republic which we all desire.
That is why, all of us who live on the same land, drink the same water, build our lives in the same region, as we work for the national interests of the ethnic nationals residing in this region, I wish to ask you to join us and support us.
Brother ethnic nationals,
As we march towards the federal democratic republic which we all desire, the 2017 By-elections represent a door which we must all go through. To be able to successfully pass through this door, we need the votes of the people. We will be able to reach the goal that we desire only if the people vote properly and only if they choose properly the party and the representatives who will represent them.
We urge you to put your stamp beside the party logo which represents the candidate of your choice.
Brother ethnic nationals,
Lastly, this is what I wish to say to you.
I wish to urge all of you, who live on this same land, drink the same water and build your lives in the same region, as we work for the national interests of the resident ethnic nationals, let us all pay back the gratitude of our Motherland by making the proper choice as we vote.
I wish to conclude my speech by saying that the Shan Nationals Democratic Party will march forward with firm determination based on our beliefs to build a new life under the Union.(Unofficial translation)