Dear esteemed brothers and sisters, national brethren residing in the Kachin State,
Today the 10th January is an auspicious and significant 70th Anniversary of Kachin State Day designated by our ethnic Kachin brothers and sisters. I send my greetings and good wishes for the auspiciousness of the ethnic Kachin brothers and sisters as well as all union nationals residing in the Kachin State.
On 10th January 1948, after gaining Independence, the first meeting of the Kachin State Council was held and to honour the establishment of the Kachin State Government, 10th January was designated as Kachin State Day. From that day onwards we have been celebrating annually and today marks the 70th Anniversary.
The Kachin State comprises 4 districts, 18 townships, and 30 towns and it is also a State which is inhabited by such Kachin racial groups as the Jingphaw, Rawang, Lisu, Lachid, Lhaovo, and Zaiwa; Shan racial groups such Tailai, Tailay, Tailon, Taisar, Tai Khamti; Burmans and other ethnic racial groups totaling a population of a little more than 16,00,000 who are living together in friendship and cordiality.
Kachin State is rich in precious gems and minerals such as gold and jade and is the home of the one and only snow-capped mountain ranges in the whole of South-East Asia. It also has very beautiful scenery. Furthermore, it is also the region where the river Ayeyawady, which may be called the life-blood of Myanmar has its source.
Kachin State with such beautiful scenery and abundance of natural resources was unable to enjoy the natural beauty or use the natural resources effectively for development purpose due to armed conflicts. Only when there is peace, stability and rule of law in the region can the development works be implemented. All the ethnic national races living in Kachin State have known the taste of peace and they are also yearning for peace. Gaining peace is also the biggest desire of the entire people.
Now is the time when there is unprecedented unity between the ethnic nationals, the people, the government, the Tatmadaw, the Hluttaw, political parties, civil society organisations and ethnic armed organisations and the country is on the correct path of development. All organisations need to increase the power of unity with the people so that the walk down this path is not deviated.
At this time Myanmar is holding the Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong for the establishment of a true Democratic Federal Republic.
Today, the nation is conducting peace processes and holding the 21st Century Panglong Conference and had attained and grasped good and firm foundations and will strive together with the people of Kachin State for the stability and development of the Kachin State. Peace will be established so that it can be enjoyed by our offspring. In constructing the Republic of the Union of Myanmar into a democratic country, it is important for all ethnic national races to participate on an equal basis. The Union Government is spending a lot of expenditures on road transport, education, health and human resources development, getting electricity, social economic development of the people and health care for Kachin State development. Based on the existing unity and basic good principles achieved, I wish to urge all ethnic national brothers and sisters in Kachin State to work collectively in unity and harmony toward a new democratic country.
I am sending this message of greeting with a note that the processes of establishing a peaceful, modern, developed, new democratic country and peace can only succeed if all ethnic national races participate with firm union spirit, true national spirit and in unity with the Union government.