12 Feb 2012—The following is the translation of the message of Agga Maha Thayay Sithu, Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma U Thein Sein, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on the occasion of the 65th Anniversary Union Day

Esteemed national brethren,

Today is the 65th Anniversary Union Day, a day of significance engraved in the hearts of national brethren born in the Union. Now is the time of consolidation of national solidarity for perpetuity and lasting peace and prosperity of the Union. This year’s Union Day is noteworthy as it is the first celebration in the time of the new Union government, an administrative hierarchy formed by the national brethren. On this auspicious occasion, I wish all the national brethren a life of ease with eternal pleasure, free from dangers and fame and fortune.

Myanmar is a Union where diverse national races have been residing in unity and amity from time immemorial. However, poor transportation resulting from topographical features of Myanmar had created barriers to connectedness among national brethren. When Myanmar fell under colonial yoke, the imperialists sowed discord among national brethren ruling highlands and mainland separately. National brethren living through thick and thin were subjected for many years to systematic divide-and rule policy of colonialism.

Esteemed national brethren,

General Aung San and national race leaders had to exert all-out efforts during independence struggle to claim back independence both for the hilly and plain regions for lack of trust among national brethren stemming from the seeds of enmity planted by the colonialists. As national solidarity was the key requirement for independence, General Aung San with national race leaders held a conference in Panglong on 12 February, 1947 and signed Panglong Agreement.

Within one year after signing Panglong Agreement, the Union of Myanmar managed to restore the status of independent and sovereign nation on 4, January, 1948. In honour of Panglong Agreement, 12 February, 1947 was designated as Union Day and since then Union Day celebrations had been held nationwide on a grand scale annually, reaching to 65th anniversary this year.

Esteemed national brethren,

The entire national brethren showed a strong sense of comradeship but had to sacrifice lots of lives, blood and sweat on the path to independence, freeing themselves from the colonial rule. National solidarity is fundamental to safeguard the independence regained and perpetual existence of the Union. The nation will split up if national solidarity breaks up. The new government which is building new democratic nation aspired by the entire national people of the Union, attaches great importance to national consolidation and is focusing on further solidification.

The government is building motor roads, railroads and bridges to connect the inaccessible regions of national races because of difficult terrain. It is promoting education, health and socio-economic standards of national races. With frequent contacts between one and another places and improvement in socio-economic life of national races, amicable relationship between national brethren will deepen into dynamism of Union Spirit.

Nowadays, the entire world is facing the threat of alien cultural influence and thus it is desperately needed to safeguard such national characteristics as tradition, language, literature, music and arts of our national races. To do so, national races should cherish and value each others’ customs and safeguard with mutual support.

This would aid cultural development of national brethren, fostering amity, thus resulting in consolidation of Union Spirit enabling the Union stand steady in perpetuity.

It needs to build the national defence power to be strong and powerful generation after generation for liberty and territorial integrity of the State. If defence power of the nation is weak, national people will face the jungle law of superpowers. So, the entire national people need to join hands in building powerful, competent, patriotic modern armed forces.

Esteemed national brethren,

National brethren of the Union are to make joint efforts for modernization of the nation and socio-economic improvement of its people, utilizing invaluable natural resources of Myanmar.

As for national economy, the government is working hard to transform the nation into industrialized one while increasing the development momentum of agricultural sector. It is also taking measures to promote education and health standards into international level for human resources development instrumental for industrialization.

It has allowed foreign investments to create new jobs, import technical skills and accumulate capitals while encouraging production industries of local national entrepreneurs.

It is taking steps to introduce pure market economy and speeding up its strides for future socio-economic development of the nation and its people and poverty alleviation.

Esteemed national brethren,

In building the democratic nation, three main pillars— legislative, executive and judicial powers are to be practiced democratically in compliance with the constitution.

So, people’s representatives elected by the people are amending, supplementing and revoking old laws and formulating and enacting new ones.

Successful establishment of modern, developed democratic new nation calls for combination of democracy with good governance and the new government, therefore, is focusing on good governance and clean government.

The rule of law is of crucial importance to establishment of democratic nation. All the citizens including those personalities, organizations and staff enforcing rule of law are to abide by law. As for the rule of law, the government is protecting every citizen to be able to enjoy equal rights while strengthening the judicial pillar.

Democracy means recognition of the importance of each individual, and reciprocal respect and appreciation of each other national races conveys the essence of democracy.

There may be uniqueness of intelligence and psychological characteristics in the individual, but democracy brings about greatly fruitful results out of those different concepts and opinions. National brethren are to strive for conceptual and intellectual maturity and participate in democratization process for the success of democracy.

Esteemed national brethren,

The new government is holding peace talks with armed groups with great devotion to secure eternal peace.

Participation of the entire national people is sorely needed to bring internal armed conflicts to an end and build lasting peace and in nation-building endeavours.

There may be different points of view in practicing democracy, but all are to cooperatively work for matters of common concern in the interests of the nation. The entire national people will be overjoyed to see democratic contest in elections and equal participation in State’s affairs.

The new Union government has opened the door of peace, holding out the olive branch.

Esteemed national brethren,

Since its holding of the office, the new government has granted amnesty to prisoners of different prisons for four times with the aim of ensuring stability of the State and building eternal peace, enabling all to participate in political process, considering humanitarianism, and making them understand benevolence and goodwill of the government and turn over a new leaf playing a part in building the new nation. It can be seen that the new government is showing respects to people’s voices and fulfilling their aspirations.

Esteemed national brethren,

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar as a modern, developed, new democratic nation will be standing tall as a responsible member of the global family, actively cooperating with international and regional organizations including the United Nations.

In response to the aspiration of the entire national people, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is introducing democracy with notable success. Democracy will grow stronger and stronger depending on maturity, time and participation of the national people. We are determined to keep on promoting democracy peacefully.

Therefore, all the national people of the Union, beginning 65th Anniversary Union Day, have to love own nationality and country more than ever. We need to cultivate harmonious relationship with every members of the global family. Moreover, we have to eliminate reliance-on- foreign countries attitude and build the nation stronger and stronger with faith in internal strength. I, in all seriousness, would like to urge the entire national people to join hands with genuine Union Spirit in harmony for everlasting existence of peaceful and prosperous democratic new nation in accordance with the objectives of this year’s Union Day.