4 September 2007

1. The SDU, on behalf of the people of Shan State, whole heartedly support the recent public protest or resistance of the people in Burma Proper and Arakan State, due to the military regime's irresponsible imposition of  price hike of Compressed National Gas (CNG), diesel and petrol ranging from one hundred to five hundred percent.

2. This irresponsible fuel price hike is comparable to the devaluation of currency in 1987, where 80% of private savings were rendered valueless, paving way for the nation-wide uprising in 1988. 

3.The recent fuel hike imposition by the military junta is none other than the show of strength and confidence that it could handle the cowed population the way it sees fit, without even a slightest consideration and impact which would fall on the people of Burma.

4. In the same vein, the military junta has completed its stage-managed and orchestrated constitutional drafting after fourteen years, which would eventually forced its way through referendum by hook or by crook.

5. The resistance of the people from Burma Proper and Arakan State is a just struggle, which the people of Shan State sympathised, closely identify with and heartily endorsed.

6. The Shan's ongoing resistance against the military occupation for more than four decades have to endure a lot of physical and mental sacrifices. The Shan have been on the receiving end of the military's wrath and suppression for their stubborn resistance and the outcome the population have to endure have been extra-judicial killings or genocide, rape as a weapon of war, depletion of food resources, refugees in neighbouring countries and internally displaced persons, which are well documented.

7. The SDU feverently hope that this folks' anger and frustration would be translated into a well co-ordinated, massive civil disobedience movement, paving way for a change and new beginning for the whole country.

8. Last but not least, we would like to urge the military regime to come to its sense and facilitate long overdue reconciliation process through tripartite dialogue, endorsed by the United Nations and people of Burma.

Sai Wansai

General Secretary

Shan Democratic Union