One of Burma’s exiled newsmen was elected on Sunday, 11 November, to succeed Shan State draft charter chairman Sao Seng Suk who passed away almost 3 months ago.
The editor in chief of the Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) Khuensai Jaiyen “reluctantly” became chairman of the Shan State Constitution Drafting Commission (SSCDC) after the conference’s first choice Khun Okker declined the nomination.
The PaO legal expert told the 45 participants, special guests and observers he was a bad choice. “I was born and grew up outside Shan State in Thaton,” he explained. “This should be a job for a native.”
Khun Okker is also deeply involved in drafting the Opposition’s answer to the ruling junta’s draft charter. Others who were elected to lead the Shan State constitution drafting are Shirley Hseng (Kachin), Na Ve Bon (Lahu), Nang Hseng Noung (Women), Nang Hseng Zawm (Shan), Khun Okker (PaO and constitutional consultant), Ta Ai Nyunt (Wa), Na Hti (Lisu), Jaha (Lahu), Min Khant (Kayan) and Asa Mayi (Akha).
Nine constitutional guidelines were also laid down by the three day consultation conference, 9-11 November, for the drafters to follow in a major expansion from the original two guidelines set out in 2000:
*A federal structure (2000)
*A democratic decentralized administrative system (2000)
*Sovereign power derives from the people of Shan State
*To be a member state of a genuine federal union with other states
*To guarantee equality among the Shan State’s ethnic nationalities
*To guarantee ethnic minority rights
*To guarantee basic human rights and gender equality
*To practise a multi-party democratic system
*To be a secular state Khuensai denies he has become a politician.
“I’m only fulfilling my duty as a citizen of Shan State,” he said. “I don’t think I’m made for the rough and tumble of politics.”
Shan State is one of Burma’s non-Burman states that have been drafting state constitutions since 2000. Under the leadership of the late Sao Seng Suk (1935-2007), it has already drawn up its first draft. The second draft is to be completed by the end of 2008.
The editor in chief of the Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) Khuensai Jaiyen “reluctantly” became chairman of the Shan State Constitution Drafting Commission (SSCDC) after the conference’s first choice Khun Okker declined the nomination.
The PaO legal expert told the 45 participants, special guests and observers he was a bad choice. “I was born and grew up outside Shan State in Thaton,” he explained. “This should be a job for a native.”
Khun Okker is also deeply involved in drafting the Opposition’s answer to the ruling junta’s draft charter. Others who were elected to lead the Shan State constitution drafting are Shirley Hseng (Kachin), Na Ve Bon (Lahu), Nang Hseng Noung (Women), Nang Hseng Zawm (Shan), Khun Okker (PaO and constitutional consultant), Ta Ai Nyunt (Wa), Na Hti (Lisu), Jaha (Lahu), Min Khant (Kayan) and Asa Mayi (Akha).
Nine constitutional guidelines were also laid down by the three day consultation conference, 9-11 November, for the drafters to follow in a major expansion from the original two guidelines set out in 2000:
*A federal structure (2000)
*A democratic decentralized administrative system (2000)
*Sovereign power derives from the people of Shan State
*To be a member state of a genuine federal union with other states
*To guarantee equality among the Shan State’s ethnic nationalities
*To guarantee ethnic minority rights
*To guarantee basic human rights and gender equality
*To practise a multi-party democratic system
*To be a secular state Khuensai denies he has become a politician.
“I’m only fulfilling my duty as a citizen of Shan State,” he said. “I don’t think I’m made for the rough and tumble of politics.”
Shan State is one of Burma’s non-Burman states that have been drafting state constitutions since 2000. Under the leadership of the late Sao Seng Suk (1935-2007), it has already drawn up its first draft. The second draft is to be completed by the end of 2008.
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