Last Sunday, members of Shan National for Democracy in Japan celebrated the 64th Birthday of SNLD Chairman, Hkun Htun Oo who is sentenced to years of imprisonment together with other Shan State Leaders by the Military Junta. 

In this event, SND invited Buddhist monks, offered morning alms to them and listened to the talks given on the stability of organization. All the democractic fronts of the so-called Union of Burma in Japan were also invited to participate in the celebration in which the members took part in the process untill 11 A.M. 

This celebration had been taken place successfully with the following objectives_

1. Hkun Htun Oo is the most respected democractic leader of the Shan State people. He is also respected and admired by all the other ethnic nationalities in the other States and provinces of the so-called Union of Burma. Thus the celebration was carried out in his honour.

2. His 64th birthday is the day to constantly remind the people of Shan State and also other

ethnic nationalities to be aware of the brutality and inhuman acts of the Burmese Military Junta done to this democractic leader together with the other Shan State leaders and all the other political prisoners.

3. To let the world communities know or be aware of the fate of the Shan State leader, Hkun Htun Oo who is now with years of imprisonment, together with the other Shan State leaders so that they can take active part in restoring peace and propersity to the country.

SND has a firm belief that without the participation of the Shan State leader, Hkun Htun Oo and the other prominent political leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners, democracy, justice and human rights cannot be restored to the country. Therefore, their release is very crucial to the democratic process.

A statement also has been released by SND on Hkun Htun Oo's 64th birthday to urge all the ethnic nationalities of the so-called Union of Burma and the world communities to take active part in putting pressure to the Junta for the release of Hkun Htun Oo and for true democracy, peace and propersity of the country.