The Panglong agreement itself was primarily an agreement on transitional arrangements ahead of independence. Of the nine paragraphs, four deal exclusively with the new position of the “Governor`s Border Area Advisor” and that person`s relationship with the interim executive council. In Panglong, on 12 February 1947, General Aung San reached a historic agreement with ethnic leaders to forge a single front for British independence. Since then, Panglong has been remembered as a symbol of national unity and 12 February is honoured as Union Day. The announcement was made in a statement made on the third day of meetings between ethnic armed groups organized by the U.S. military at its headquarters in Panghsang. The agreement was signed by the UWSA as well as the Kachin Independence Army, the Ta`ang National Liberation Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army, the Shan State Army-North and the National Democratic Alliance Army, also known as the Mong La Group. The declaration called for the signing of a new ceasefire agreement, the formation of a genuine Federal Union on the basis of bilateral agreements with the previous government, an end to Tatmadav`s offensives in ethnic minority areas and the opening of a comprehensive political dialogue as soon as possible. In 1947, Gen Aung San obtained the agreement with the ethnic leaders in three days. Some think that history will repeat itself, but the chances of this happening at the Panglong conference of the 21st century are very slim. A significant breakthrough came when, at the second Panglong Conference on February 12, 1947, an agreement was signed between the Shan, Kachin and Chin and Aung San leaders as chairmen of the Governor`s Executive Council. The Karen sent only four observers; Representatives of Mon and Arakanes were also absent, as they were not considered separately, but within the ministry. [1] A total of 23 signatories expressed their readiness to cooperate with the Burmese government to achieve independence quickly and accepted the principle of the establishment of a “Union of Burma”.

Among ethnic nationalities, the fear is that the 21st century Panglong peace process will not live up to the promises of the 1947 Panglong Agreement and that their doubts have been reinforced by the state council`s statements, Zin told Frontier.