EXTRACT FROM THE JENERAL STATEMENT BY BURMA DELEGATION TO LONDON JANUARY 1947

THE FRONTIER AREAS. We are aware that the long term policy of His majestys Goverment in regard to Burma is that there should be a united or federated Burma including the whole of Britisha Burma and perhaps also the Karenni States. We respectfully subcribe to this policy but are anxious that the peoples of these areas should be given an opportunity of sharing immediately in the constitutional advence to be achieved by the Burmese. To that end we propose that representatives of the Frontier Areas should be associated forthwith in the work of the Executive Council in a manner which would retain for these Areas autonomy in matters of internal administration. This, in our opinion, could be done by bringing the Frontier Areas within the scope of the Excutive Council and by appointing a representative of the Frontier Areas to the charge of the new portfolio and providing him with two or three Deputy Counsellors representing the Frontier race of which he is not a member. Our desire is that the people of the Frontier Areas should regain their freedom together with the Burmese and enjoy equal rights with them in all respects. When constitutional reforms were introduced to Burma in 1919 Burma was divided for administrative purpose into Burma Proper and the Backward Areas.The Burmese did not and do not subcribe to the view that the people of these areas are backward in any way. Before 1886, when Upper Burma was under Burmese rule, good relations between the Chiefs of the frontier races and the Burmese King were normal. Such members of the Frontier races as happen to reside in the plains have acquired the same political rights as the Burmese. The delegation are aware that the demand for a Kachin State amongat the Kachins was inspired by some military officers during the time of the operations against the Japanese. It has also come to the knowledge of the delegation that in a letter from the Burma Office, dated the 30 th November 1943, to the Governor, it was stated that for reasons of Imperial Defence it may be desirable for His Majestys Goverment to exercise a more direct control over the Frontier Areas of Burma than over Burma itself after the latter has been granted self goverment. For sixty years, the conditions of these so-called backward tribes, administered by British authorities without Burmese aid, have remained without improvement. The Belegation do not hold the view that they are politically backward and still incapable of self-goverment but if such is the view of His Majestys Goverment, the Delegation maintain that no goverment outside Burma should have any claim to the privilege of trusteeship over these areas. The Delegation proposal is, however, not for the trusteeship of these areas by the Goverment of Burma but for elevating them to the Burmese political position, actual and impending, and to a distinct share in the administration of the country to with they, the Burmese and all other races of Burmese and all other races of Burma alike belong.

Shanglawt Tsing. ( 4. 5. 2013 )