Speech delivered by State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing on Diamond Jubilee Independence Day 2023
(4
– 1 - 2023)
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
Today is truly auspicious
as we celebrate the momentous occasion of the 75th Anniversary (Diamond
Jubilee) of the Independence Day of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. On
this auspicious occasion, I would like to extend my warmest felicitations and
greetings as well as best wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity to all
the national races residing in the country in harmony and friendship.
Our motherland, Myanmar,
has prospered as a dignified nation when we enjoyed solidarity and unity
amongst all national races during the reigns of Kings Anawrahta, Bayintnaung,
and Alaungphaya. Nonetheless, when unity was weakened, the colonialists waged
three aggressive wars against Myanmar. As a result, Myanmar was enslaved,
leading to the loss of its own monarchy and sovereignty. The imperialists
oppressed and exploited Myanmar in political, economic and social aspects
through various means. Colonizers used a divide-and-rule strategy to drive a
wedge between national races by dividing hilly regions from the mainland in an
effort to prolong their colonialist dominance.
However, under the able
leadership of ethnic leaders, the entire national races of the Union sacrificed
their life and blood for the great cause of regaining our independence.
Consequently, Myanmar regained its independence and sovereignty on 4 January
1948. The cost of achieving Independence through sacrifices of the lives, blood
and sweat of the ethnic nationals was indeed high. Even after we regained our
independence, the negative impacts of the divide-and-rule system lingered,
sparking the emergence of numerous internal armed organizations within the
nation. On the bright side, the struggle for independence has fostered a
strong sense of patriotism, nationalism and unity amongst all our national
races. The history of the struggle for independence has proven that we are
crowned with victory when all our national races were unified.
Since our country was
ruled by colonialists for almost a century, there were hardships in the
history of our independence struggle. Many sacrificed everything in their quest
for independence, including their lives and limbs. They are, in fact, the
architects of our independence who contributed towards the perpetuation of our
independence. We observed a two-minute moment of silence to pay tribute to
them on this special day.
Independence can be lost
in a flick of a moment, but it takes years to regain. Therefore, I would like
to earnestly urge the entire national race to join hands in safeguarding and
perpetuating sovereignty and independence.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
Our country has existed as
a Union since the days of the ancient monarchs. Our country has been under different
political systems since independence, such as the parliamentary democratic
system, the Tatmadaw-led government that temporarily assumed State responsibilities,
the single-party system led by the Myanmar Socialist Programme Party, the Tatmadaw
government, and the multiparty democratic political system.
Based on the experiences gained throughout our history, from the monarchy to
the present, our government has formulated the following two political
objectives which best suit the nation and the people: to strengthen the
genuine, disciplined multiparty democratic system and to build the union system
based on democracy and federalism.
In the realization of the
said two political objectives, the active participation of all citizens is of
paramount importance. While adhering to the provisions prescribed in the
Constitution, it is also important to avoid actions and activities that might
deviate from the democratic course. As rule of law is a prerequisite to ensure
stable and strong democracy, “No one is above the law”.
There are divergent views
with respect to democracy or the federal system when it comes to building a
Union aspired by all ethnic nationals. Regardless of differences, it is
crucial to choose a system that best suits our country. Just as democracy calls
for fulfilling the wishes of the majority, it also required to heed the
aspirations of the minority. People with diverse perspectives and goals could
not be viewed as an adversary; they should also not be subjected to prejudice
or exclusion because such beliefs are incompatible with democratic ideals. A
cult of personality is opposed to democracy which not only causes a detrimental
impact on union cohesion but also social division.
There are various
interpretations of the federal system that use different norms; however, the
expression implies cohesion and concordance in essence. This requires us to be
aware that no state or territory is home to just one national race; rather,
different races are scattered throughout a state or region. Our country
regained independence after overcoming the storm of the colony because of the
cohesion and unity of all national races. I would like to strongly urge all
our national races to uphold the fine tradition of unity in order to build a
genuine, disciplined multiparty democracy as well as a Union based on
democracy and federalism through patience, understanding and brotherly spirit.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
The State, on the other
hand, has been exerting its utmost efforts in all sectors to achieve national
development and food security, which are the two national policies, and has
adopted the motto “The strength of the nation lies only within”. People who
depend on agriculture and livestock breeding make up some 70 per cent of the
rural population of the nation. Technology-assisted production and sales of
value-added products in the agricultural, livestock breeding, and other
sectors would guarantee not only self-sufficiency but also export promotion
and increased income for our citizens. Efforts will be made to formulate the
objectives to reverse the status of an importer who has to import basic
consumer products into the status of an exporter, who can produce products not
only for domestic needs but also for export surplus.
We need to approach this
with “a global perspective”. Food, shelter, and clothing are the three
fundamental requirements of all human beings. The global population was
approximately 6.1 billion in 2000, 7.8 billion in 2020, and approximately eight
billion in 2022 and the population is increasing annually. There will be a
proportionately larger need for food, clothing, shelter and housing as the
population grows. Food demand, in particular, will be extremely high. Agriculture
and livestock-breeding supply the majority of the demand for these basic needs
of food, clothing, and shelter. Our country is sandwiched between two of the
world’s most populous nations. Myanmar, blessed with favourable weather
conditions and a strategic geographical location, is a country that thrives in
crop cultivation, fruit cultivation, and livestock breeding. It is critical to
seize these opportunities and utilize them effectively. Food security will
become increasingly important in the world where demand for these basic human
needs rises.
Ours is a country with
significant potential to contribute to global food security. Indeed, our
country could become the agricultural powerhouse that we once imagined.
Rather than increasing the
sown acreage of main crops, plans were underway to increase crop cultivation
as mixed cropping and double cropping. If per-acre yield increases, we can
expect better development for the country. Similarly, livestock farms must be
planned in order to expand livestock manufacturing. If this occurs, the
country will have sufficient poultry, meat and fish, as well as serve as import
substitution and as primary export commodities. Every nation and individual
strives to advance their socioeconomic status. Our collective efforts are
necessary to achieve this overarching goal. “Dedicated work and determination
enable us to achieve any goal we set.”
In order to build a
modern, developed nation, our administration has taken pragmatic steps in the
best interests of the entire people. Additionally, for the sake of the nation,
I would like to urge all national races to work side-by-side in respective
sectors with a view to promoting the prosperity and development of the nation.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
The government exerts
utmost efforts to a better State and to uplift the socioeconomic condition of
our people in accord with the motto: “Keep Moving Forward to Achieve Our
Goal” in the interests of the country and the people.
In building a
country that practises a democratic system, all citizens need to possess the
knowledge and critical thinking. This cannot be done
overnight but must be initiated a length of time from generation to generation.
Human resources are the key to sustainable development, so, an emphasis must
be placed on the education sector. Thus, the government emphasizes the
education sector to increase the percentage of school children and literacy
rate across the country. The government has set a national goal for all
school-aged children to have the chance to learn and finish KG+9 education.
Only when they finish KG+9 education at a minimum, will they have a solid
foundation for vocational education, and so, they can pursue their studies at
vocational training schools.
School education as well
as knowledge of life beyond schools are widely encouraged in pursuing
education. It is necessary to create opportunities for all citizens to learn
vocational education in their respective sectors. Hence, the government has
made arrangements to create chances for all citizens to accumulate knowledge
through reading as it is the simplest and cheapest way of learning. Moreover,
efforts are being made to launch literacy campaigns with the goal to reach
reading campaigns. Investment plans in the education sector will be the
groundwork for a future democratic nation.
It is necessary to
encourage people to enthusiastically participate in sports activities as part
of a nationwide movement for ensuring the health and fitness of entire people.
Plans have been laid out with implementation to turn out a new generation of
youths who have talents in sports, to be able to represent from regional/national
level to international level, with a view to uplifting the prestige of the
State and nationals. The government has also set a goal to implement affordable
healthcare services in order to meet the healthcare standard and increase the
life expectancy of the entire people. With effective measures of prevention,
control and treatment of Covid-19, the outbreak of disease and death toll have
been reduced and brought under control at present.
In order to develop the
state economy and domestic manufacturing capacity, efforts are being made to
develop micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs). With these
measures, the production of finished goods using raw materials from domestic
agriculture and livestock farms and natural resources which are major driving
forces for domestic manufacturing will improve significantly as well.
While striving for
development, natural resources must be utilized in a prudent and sensible
manner giving due consideration to the future of the State and the next
generations. As such, it is necessary to conduct environmental conservation and
rehabilitation measures for past environmental degradation. In extracting
natural resources, sales of manufacturing finished goods rather than selling in
raw form can earn more income, create job opportunities for local people and
develop technology and human resources at home.
Moreover, the best ways
and means are being sought for generating electricity at full capacity and for
having a sufficiency of electricity for both household and manufacturing
purposes. Renewable energies such as solar power and hydropower could be
conducted and atomic energy in addition to potential wind energy and hydropower
will be peacefully used to implement projects in the electric power sector and
others.
Strenuous efforts are also
being made for the development of the nation in all aspects and undertakings
of non-disintegration of the Union and improvement of culture and social
sectors. In implementing a social object for deepening the Union Spirit “to
respect and promote the customs and traditions of all National peoples and
preserve and safeguard their cultural heritage and national characteristics”,
the Myanmar Traditional Cultural Performing Arts Competition at the national
level was successfully organized on a grand scale. Members of the State Administration
Council (SAC) organized celebrations to mark relevant State Days on a grand
scale. The government has pledged to march towards a modern and developed
nation. So, I would like to urge all our national races to cooperate with the
government in our march towards the goal in respective sectors.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
According to the
history and geopolitical conditions of Myanmar, our government has been
steadfastly upholding the five principles of peaceful co-existence as the
foundation of foreign policy since the post-independence period. Currently,
Myanmar continues to practise independent, active and non-aligned foreign
policy and attaches great importance to world peace and friendly relations
with other countries, while practising five principles of peaceful
co-existence.
Our government has been
serving the State’s responsibilities in line with the State Constitution (2008)
and cooperating with international organizations such as the United Nations,
ASEAN and BIMSTEC and other countries under international law, treaties and
conventions. It is seen that some organizations and countries had meddled in
the internal affairs of Myanmar. However, we have decided to stand firmly
globally, while adhering to our foreign policy in order to safeguard the
sovereignty, security and interests of our nation.
Our government has placed
emphasis on global affairs and friendly relations with other countries and
will closely cooperate with neighbouring countries, such as China, India,
Thailand, Laos and Bangladesh, especially in peace, stability and development
endeavours of border areas. Our government always ensure the peace and
stability and development of neighbouring countries by adopting a practical
policy of “not allowing any organizations to utilize our territory to
conduct activities against our friendly neighbours”. Likewise, Myanmar maintains
close relations with the world’s major powers.
During our administration
tenure, I would like to express our sincere appreciation for the cooperation
and suggestions of some international/ regional organizations and countries
amid various pressures and criticisms, while realizing the factual account of
events. I would like to urge them to give continuous support to the fullest
extent possible in practising “the genuine, discipline-flourishing
multiparty democratic system”, which is also the aspiration of the entire
people of Myanmar. I would also like to extend our gratitude to those countries
and international organizations that provided support across sectors including
finance, technology and opportunity since the pre- and post-independence
period which enable us to rise from the ashes to this current stage. Our
government is ready to continue our cooperation with any countries or
organizations which contribute to the interests of Myanmar.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
A state of Emergency was
declared in accordance with the State Constitution (2008); hence, the State
Administration Council remains loyal to the Constitution. A point “Emphasis
will be placed on achieving durable peace for the entire nation in line with
the agreements set out in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement” has been
included in the Five-Point Roadmap of our government for the cessation of
internal armed conflicts to ensure national solidarity and peace which are
absolute necessities for our country and strenuous efforts are being made
towards that end.
As the year 2022 was
marked as a Year of Peace, I myself have offered to hold peace dialogues with
leaders of ethnic armed organizations in order to end long-running armed
conflicts and build lasting peace, and I have met with them and had peace talks
with them. The National Solidarity and Peacemaking Central Committee, the Work
Committee and the Negotiation Committee have been established to implement the
peace process. The peace talks were based on the Constitution (2008) and the
Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA which the State stands for ensuring the
restoration of peace. Attendance of a total of ten ethnic armed groups to the
peace talks reflected their attitudes and willingness to walk the path of
peace.
The Tatmadaw has conducted
a unilateral ceasefire for four years starting from 21 December 2018 to the
end of 2022, aiming to enable the ethnic armed organizations to walk on the
path of NCA and restore perpetual peace. The Tatmadaw has always remained
committed to seeking solutions through negotiations. For the time being, the
extension of the ceasefire from 1 January to 31 December 2023 has been
declared. Taking into consideration the interests of our country and people
facing internal armed conflicts since independence, I would like to urge all
stakeholders to make utmost efforts for ceasing the internal armed conflicts
starting from this very Diamond Jubilee of Independence so that our next
generation will inherit peace.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union
Free and fair elections
play a pivotal role in the revitalization of the genuine,
discipline-flourishing multiparty democratic system. The process of holding
the election is being carried out in line with the last point of the Five-Point
Roadmap “Upon accomplishing the provisions of the state of emergency, free
and fair multiparty democratic elections will be held in line with the 2008
Constitution, and further work will be undertaken to hand over State duties
to the winning party in accordance with the democratic standards”.
As the government is
striving for the successful holding of the election, relevant departments are
making systematic preparations to have accurate data. A special emphasis is
being placed on the accuracy of voter lists in order to prevent voter fraud.
The Union Election
Commission (UEC) has been discussing with the political parties to hold a
Proportional Representation electoral system which allows the ethnic people to
have the official rights to expression, discussion and broad representation
that are entitled to them in the parliament, the highest legislative body.
The government will join
hands with the entire people to ensure safe and smooth transportation across
the country, the prevalence of law and order and tranquillity in order to
successfully hold a free, fair and credible election.
Our country has held three
general elections since the transition to the multiparty democratic system.
The 2010 election covered 325 of 330 townships across the nation; the 2015
election was held in 323 townships; and the 2020 election took place in 315
townships. It was observed that public desire was less expressed under the
governments which asserted that they would implement the democratic system. In
holding elections, individual citizens must be freed from unfairness such as
threats, coercions, unfair inducement and mobbing to express their opinion.
Our government is striving for holding nationwide general elections across the
country and for all citizens free from injustice.
I would like to earnestly
request partner organizations and countries and entire people to hold
consciousness and awareness and to cooperate with the government in
implementing the national and political processes so as to safeguard the
democratic process of Myanmar.
Distinguished guests and esteemed
national brethren of the Union
During the time of the
independence struggle and post-independence era, there were many
organizations and individuals that placed national interest over
self-interest. Some organizations are the Young Men’s Buddhist Association
(YMBA), the General Council of Burmese Associations (GCBA), Doh Bamar
Asiayone, AFPFL, Thirty Comrades, the Revolutionary Council, the Myanmar
Socialist Programme Party, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, the
State Peace and Development Council and so on.
With regard to
individuals, Wuntho Saopha U Aung Myat, Con Bik, Bagan Bo Cho and so on were
famous in the first phase of the independence struggle. Likewise, U Ba Pe, U
Chit Hlaing, Saya San, Thakin Po Hla Gyi, Bo Aung Kyaw, Thakin Kodaw Hmine, U
Po Kyar, Saya Tin, U Wizara and U Uttama were included in the second phase and
martyrs led by General Aung San and Colonel Ba Htoo were in the final phase.
Moreover, in the post-independence era, many personalities from various arenas
exerted national perpetuation and raised the prestige of the State. Some
renowned persons were U Nu, U Ba Swe, General Ne Win, U Kyaw Nyein, Senior
General Than Shwe, UN Secretary General U Thant, Dr Ba Maw, and national
leaders who signed the Panglong Agreement. There are many more outstanding people
out there who are not on my list. Regardless of differences in their concepts
and attitudes, they all built the State and raised the prestige of the State.
So, in recognition of the merits of individuals of successive eras for their
contributions and sacrifices for the State, our government has conferred
honorary titles upon them. I further honoured them with this ceremony. They
will forever remain in our hearts.
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union
The past history testifies
that the strength of the nation lies only within. We have to primarily rely on
internal strength to develop the nation. There is no reason for our country not
to develop since our country is rich in above-ground, underground and water
resources as well as human resources. If we are united and make our efforts,
without doubt, we would become a regional power, and eventually a world power. I
would like to praise all the national races of the Union for their
steadfastness in the face of adversities during the 75 years. I would also like
to urge all of you to make every effort with patriotic and national spirit, for
national perpetuation and for our country to stand tall among global nations. “So
long as the world exists, so does Myanmar.”
Distinguished guests and all esteemed
national brethren of the Union,
Let me conclude by urging
the entire people to make collective efforts in implementing the following
national objectives of the Diamond Jubilee Independence Day:
to ensure cementing the
discipline-flourishing genuine multiparty democratic system and build the Union
based on democracy and federalism;
to utmost strive for
ensuring the prosperity of the nation and food sufficiency as national tasks;
to build a better State
and socioeconomic life in accord with the theme “Keep Moving Forward to
Achieve Our Goal” focusing on the interests of the State and ethnic
national peoples;
to initiate national
solidarity and peace of the Union with a firm vow;
to successfully hold free
and fair multiparty democratic general elections and emerge an electoral system
in which all ethnic nationals would participate proportionately.
May all national races
brethren enjoy physical and mental well-being. Thank you all.
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