Though the Burmese junta is claiming that they are trail-blazers totally different from and exceedingly superior to former ruling parties of Burma, they still have to use the Kaba-aye Cave built by U Nu's government for religious purposes; follow Ne Win's order on Burmese language spellings of "one"; hold on to the "theory of human evolution originating from Pondaung" sold by Khin Nyunt; and still employ Saw Maung's official count of "135 races of Burma." Now let's see if there are really 135 ethnic groups in our country.

Coercion, counter-movement and brokerage: How an engagement with the local politics of drugs in Burma’s eastern borderlands offers alternative perspectives on global counter-narcotics strategies.

By: Sai Wansai
Wednesday, 12 September 2012

On 08 August, BBC, Burmese program, reported Deputy Defence Minister Colonel Aung Thaw accused Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA) that peace could not be achieved, due to the insistence that political dialogue has to come first before ceasefire agreement could be reached.

By: Sai Wansai
Wednesday, 12 September 2012

On 08 August, BBC, Burmese program, reported Deputy Defence Minister Colonel Aung Thaw accused Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA) that peace could not be achieved, due to the insistence that political dialogue has to come first before ceasefire agreement could be reached.

How 100,000 Inuit – just a third of a percent of the overall population – redrew the map of Canada, and regained substantial control over their destiny along the way

While half a world away, the Inuit of the chilly Arctic region have much to teach the stateless peoples of the world as they seek to re-empower themselves, whether through formal state sovereignty or enhanced economic, cultural and political rights within a constitutional structure imposed by others on a traditional homeland. For the Shan, who once ruled a vast kingdom but whose homeland now stands divided and occupied by Burmese, Chinese, Thai, Lao and Vietnamese, the Inuit – who are themselves divided by states created by non-Inuit and imposed through colonial expansion and war, with the Americans, Canadians, Danish and Russian occupying their once isolated and equally vast homeland – present some intriguing lessons for restoring rights and regaining greater autonomy and control over their destiny. Numbering only 150,000 worldwide, the Inuit were greatly outnumbered and had to be especially creative (and patient) in their approach to asymmetrical conflict; the Shan, numbering in the tens of millions, have greater demographic power and can thus better defend their sovereignty – but if they choose to expand their rights, freedoms and opportunities as part of Burma (and across the border, Thailand, China, Laos and beyond), and not as an independent state, the Inuit experience offers an intriguing template for cultural liberation without full political sovereignty.

June 1, Democratic Voice of Burma

Recently, the Burmese government’s Union Election Commission rejected the Zomi National Congress (ZNC)’s registration request over a naming row, which effectively prevents the national party for entering the country’s political landscape.

June 1, Asia Times   

Chiang Mai - Talks between the Myanmar government and ethnic resistance groups have raised hopes of a lasting solution to decades of ethnic strife, but the country's established history of failed ceasefires threatens to repeat itself with potentially disastrous consequences for new foreign-funded peace and reconciliation initiatives.

Ladies, gentlemen and honourable lads,  it is an honour to speak to you on this auspicious occasion of fellowship and exchanging each other cultures and values coming from our same mother country of Burma. Some of you were born here, some came here as a young child but most of you are educated here and some of you have already started on your life’s journey with much hope and expectations.