Day Five. Tuesday, 13 December 2016

13-15 December 2016    Workshop in Naypyitaw led by State Counselor’s Office to seek out the “best federal system” for Burma held, facilitated by a Dr Marc Weller. (Report from meeting in Taunggyi)

Nothing much to say for today.

We visit the Shan State Buddhist University (SSUB) established early this year by the Venerable Dr Khammai Dhammasami. Unfortunately, he is on a visit to the Weluwan monastery, and we miss him. SSUB is north of the city and Weluwan southwest.

Fortunately, we meet some old friends among the monks in the campus, where they have been discussing whether the Abhidhamma, the third basket in the Tipitaka (Three Baskets/ Divisions of the Lord Buddha’s Teachings), is to be considered an integral part, as it clearly did not come from his official recorder Ananda Thera, but said to have been transmitted through his chief disciple Sariputta Thera.

I make a note to investigate further and leave. We then visit the city’s main bookshop, “The Millionaire,” and spend some time looking for books that may interest us. I don’t find anything for me but a poster announcing the soon-coming translation of Burma my mother and why I had to leave by Sao Myawadee Mangrai, consort of Sao Hso Hom Mongpawn, the son of one of the Shans’ most revered leaders Sao Sam Tun, who was assassinated along with Aung San in 1947. I make another note to order from my friends in Australia, where she lives in exile with her husband.

At 13:00, I’m at the federalism workshop run by the Canada-based Forum of Federations (FoF) at the Shan Culture and Literary Society’s Meeting Hall. My arrival coincides with the discussion on Indonesian experience about how its military exited from politics. “It was through negotiations that it finally left,” says the resource person.

There I’m invited to join tomorrow’s presentation by Dr Hannes Siebert who has been working in the country’s peace process since May 2012. The first draft for the NCA was initiated by him.