Esteemed ethnic national brethren,
On the auspicious occasion of Diamond Jubilee Union Day, I extend greetings to all ethnic national brethren with a wish to be physically and mentally healthy and happy in prosperity.
In reviewing the history of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, whenever the ethnic nationalities could amicably build the united strength, the country showed off strong capabilities. Nonetheless, whenever the ethnic nationalities lessened unity due to various reasons, the strength of the country was weak. Finally, all ethnic nationals faced the bitter experiences that the country fell under servitude.
As colonialist rulers committed wedging among the ethnic nationals in various ways and means to ensure the long term existence of their ruling and exploitation to lessen the unity among the ethnic nationals during the colonial era, it is noticeable that a historical lesson showed the disintegration of the Union spirit.
In order to regain the independence of the State, ethnic national people firmly joined hands with the Tatmadaw in the independence struggles with relentless efforts and perseverance to overcome various difficulties with the sacrifice of life, blood and sweat for the nation. With their honest and righteous leadership, the State leaders rebuilt the unity among ethnic national brethren so as to firmly forge the Union spirit. As a token of the unity based on the Union spirit, all ethnic national people with a vow to regain independence for both hilly and plain areas signed the Panglong Agreement on 12 February 1947. As the 12 February 1947 when the ethnic nationalities showed off their patriotic spirit and the Union spirit was designated as Union Day in the history of the country, it now turns 75 years as Diamond Jubilee Union Day.
Esteemed ethnic national brethren,
As the fruits of the Panglong Agreement, both hilly and plain regions in integration regained Myanmar Independence on 4 January 1948. As such, the Union Spirit which initiated the relentless efforts of the ethnic nationalities across the nation to unitedly regain the independence should be forged among them forever for ensuring the non-disintegration of the Union and development.
All ethnic national brethren understand well that as the internal armed conflicts triggered by disunity for various reasons soon after regaining the independence cannot be totally solved up to now and the national unity and the Union peace cannot be firmly restored, the country sees delay of the development process. Whenever the Union peace cannot be totally restored, all Union people would have lesser opportunities to share the fruits of development with each other.
The actual need of the entire ethnic national people is to have their livelihoods in peace under the law and improvement of their lives. The government is making utmost efforts with a firm vow for ensuring unity and Union peace to fulfil the requirements of the people and carry out the sustainable and harmonious development tasks at which all ethnic national brethren enjoy the fruits of results. So far, ten ethnic armed organizations have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Moreover, they all have realized the common agreements and agreed to the future plans of peace restoration. As all ethnic nationalities must restore the peace for our country, I’d like to urge all relevant ethnic organizations and the entire people to emphasize the provisions of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) as much as possible.
Esteemed ethnic national brethren,
The Union spirit is a root cause of the independence struggles in history. Likewise, the foundation for building the future Union based on democracy and federalism is also the Union spirit. It is a universal truth. A firm vow that all ethnic national brethren would build the united Union through mutual respect and understanding is the Union spirit. As a peaceful and stable democratic and federal State can be firmly built through the Union spirit, it is necessary to persistently nurture the qualified new generations with a firm Union spirit.
The strong and dynamic patriotic spirit of the citizen is crucial for a country. The patriotic spirit is defined as adoring the own country, national races, language, literature and culture and having a feeling against the encroachment on the nation and the national races. The weak patriotic spirit can bring terrible danger to the national and the national races.
Hence, a strong and dynamic patriotic spirit, preservation of national prestige and integrity is an important duty of the entire ethnic national people. All the ethnic national people need to comply with traditions and customs for constantly preserving the national characters.
Esteemed ethnic national brethren,
In the democratization process, the most important task for the State is Our Three Main National Causes: Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of National Solidarity and the Perpetuation of Sovereignty. I’d like to urge the entire ethnic national people to safeguard the Our Three Main National Causes forever in joining hands with the Tatmadaw.
Currently, as the government is making utmost efforts in taking preventive, control and treatment measures of COVID-19 in all aspects the global countries face, the infection rate of the disease remarkably declines, and further processes will be undertaken with momentum.
I’d like to urge the entire ethnic national people to strive for easing the loss of socio-economic life of the ethnic national people during the period of pandemic and ensuring equitable development of all regions and states in the post-pandemic period as well as the development of health, education and employment opportunities of the ethnic people.
In order to deeply implement the five national objectives of Diamond Jubilee Union Day –
1. All ethnic nationals to safeguard the non-disintegration of the Union, national unity and sovereignty forever
2. To perpetually ensure strengthening and dynamic Union Spirit which is a genuine patriotic spirit
3. To further strive for the perpetual existence of the country through strong and united strength of the ethnic national brethren
4. To build the Union based on democracy and federalism in the realization of the genuine, disciplined multiparty democracy
5. To equalize development of all regions and states while making efforts for enhancement of health, education and job opportunities of the ethnic nationals,
I send a message on the significant Diamond Jubilee Union Day and amicably urge all ethnic national people in unison to implement these national objectives based on the Union spirit.
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