Thursday, May 25, 2017

Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw makes opening address at the Opening Ceremony of Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong – Second Session

May 24, 2017
U Win Myint, Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw made an opening speech at the Second Session of the Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong.

The full text of his speech is as follows:

First excerpts, I would like to send my heartfelt prayer to you all—national brethren to be blessed with physical and mental well-being on this auspicious opening ceremony of Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong Second Session.

Our respected national brethren,

Our country is a country in which civil war had existed for over 60 years due to different doctrines and beliefs. Because of the civil war, many lost their lives, with most rendered homeless and amputated. Whatever it is, they all are our national brethren and our citizens. So long as the country cannot get internal peace, our national brethren will yet have to lose their opportunities in the field of economy, politics, social affairs, education, health and etc. Stability will never emerge in their respective areas, void of internal peace. I assume that development programmes cannot be implemented without stability in the region.

A political stage has been created in accord with the changing times and situations and efforts were being made to achieve internal peace under the leadership of the State Counsellor. We are to find solutions in just and fair ways with a view to achieving peace, stability and development of the country through political dialogues. I firmly believe that the right solutions will be found if discussions are based on fair attitudes in finding out solutions to the problems of the country through political means and ways. As long as the civil war lasts long, I am afraid we will be deprived of democratic and human rights. I want you to realize that building up a federal democratic union will be delayed as long as the civil war exists. For this, provided that we really want democracy, human rights and a federal democratic state, we must exert our concerted effort to achieve internal peace.

Our respected national brethren,

We are presently being blessed with an opportunity for us to make epoch-making Myanmar political history. I believe that the best time for internal peace is neither the past nor the future. As for me, I firmly believe that the present time is the best time for implementing internal peace. We encounter this kind of opportunity only once in our life time. We are all responsible to shape such a rare opportunity to achieve peace for present and future benefits of our country and our people. The whole populace is enthusiastically hoping for the light of peace. Internal peace is of great vitality for the State.
If conflicts and wars are taking places due to disagreements among groups all the time, peace cannot be gained and the country will never be stable and peaceful. Such disagreements can be overcome just through patience, forgiveness and broadmindedness. No group nor organization will ever find peace and pleasant existence if we still have hatred and grudges over past events. Much as their aims and objectives may be good, such hatred and wars will never bring about peace. Likewise, they will beget further hatred and wars. Accordingly, our Lord Buddha says, “Enmity cannot be extinguished through revenge attack. Instead, peace can be achieved through patience without revenge.” It is a noteworthy word for us to keep in our minds.

It is of great necessity to help and make concerted efforts to build mutual trust if worries and anxieties arise among parties, to get agreements if disputes arise, to bring about stability in conflict areas in working for peace hand in hand with each other. Instead of discussing by holding dogmatic beliefs, efforts to reach a compromise are better. I want to express my pleasure to hear that the goal of building the federal democratic union we greatly want is coming near, by assembling, discussing and negotiating for internal peace.

We hope that internal peace can be achieved by cooperating and wiping the slate clean without blaming each other. Keeping fair attitudes is serving the interest of the country and people’s wishes. The aim of our negotiations is not for getting what we want , but to fulfill the needs of the country.

I hereby conclude my speech by reciting the noteworthy words of Manlei Sayadaw,

“Even a hint of loving kindness is not cast,

Truth is deprived in us,

Amounts of war will be vast, and
The country will live in fear and disgust.

Lastly, it will be greatly hurt.

Thank you very much, Sir.

(Unofficial Translation)


Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar

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