The Panglong Agreement (English)

THE PANGLONG AGREEMENT 1947

Dated the12th February 1947,
Panglong,
A conference having been held at Panglong, attended by certain Members of the
Executive Council of the Governor of Burma, all Saohpas and representative of the Shan
States, the Kachin Hills and the Chin Hills:
The Members of the conference, believing that freedom will be more speedily achieved by
the Shans, the Kachins and the Chins by their immediate co-operation with the Interim
Burmese Government:
1. A Representative of the Hill Peoples, selected by the Governor on the recommendation
of representatives of the Supreme Council of the United Hill Peoples (SCOUHP), shall
be appointed a Counsellor for Frontier Areas shall be given executive authority by
similar means.
2. The said Counsellor shall also be appointed a Member of the Governor's Executive
Council, without portfolio, and the subject of Frontier Areas brought within the
purview of the Executive Council by Constitutional Convention as in the case of
Defence and External Affairs. The Counsellor for Frontier Areas shall be given
executive authority by similar means.
3. The said Counsellor shall be assisted by two Deputy Counsellors representing races of
which he is not a member. While the two Deputy Counsellors should deal in the first
instance with the affairs of their respective areas and the Counsellor with all the
remaining parts of the Frontier Areas, they should by Constitutional Convention act
on the principle of joint responsibility.
4. While the Counsellor, in his capacity of Member of the Executive Council, will be the
only representative of the Frontier Areas on the Council, the Deputy Counsellors shall
be entitled to attend meetings of the Council when subjects pertaining to the Frontier
Areas are discussed.
5. Though the Governor's Executive Council will be augmented as agreed above, it will
not operate in respect of the Frontier Areas in any manner which would deprive any
portion of those Areas of the autonomy which it now enjoys in internal administration.
Full autonomy in internal administration for the Frontier Areas is accepted in principle.
6. Though the question of demarcating and establishing a separated Kachin State within
a Unified Burma is one which must be relegated for decision by the Constituent
Assembly, it is agreed that such a State is desirable. As a first step towards this end,
the Counsellor for Frontier Areas and the Deputy Counsellors shall be consulted in the
administration of such areas in the Myitkyina and the Bhamo Districts as are Part II
Scheduled Areas under the Government of Burma Act of 1935.
7. Citizens of the Frontier Areas shall enjoy rights and privileges which are regarded as
fundamental in democratic countries.
8. The arrangements accepted in this Agreement are without prejudice to the financial
autonomy now vested in the Federated Shan States.
9. The arrangements accepted in this Agreement are without prejudice to the financial
assistance which the Kachin Hills and the Union Hills are entitled to receive from the
revenues of Burma, and the Exeutive Council will examine with the Frontier Areas
Counsellor and Deputy Counsellors the feasibility of adopting for the Kachin Hills and
the Chin Hills financial arrangement similar to those between Burma and the
Federated Shan States.
Burmese Government.
(Signed) Aung San
Kachin Committee.
(Signed) Sinwa Naw, Myitkyina
(Signed) Zaurip, Myitkyina
(Signed) Dinra Tang, Myitkyina
(Signed) Zau La, Bhamo
(Signed) Zau Lawn, Bhamo
(Signed) Labang Grong, Bhamo
Chin Committee
(Signed) Pu Hlur Hmung, Falam
(Signed) Pu Thawng Za Khup, Tiddim
(Signed) Pu Kio Mang, Haka
Shan Committee
(Signed) Saohpalong of Tawngpeng State.
(Signed) Saohpalong of Yawnghwe State.
(Signed) Saohpalong of North Hsenwi State.
(Signed) Saohpalong of Laihka State.
(Signed) Saohpalong of Mong Pawn State.
(Signed) Saohpalong of Hsamonghkam State
(Signed) Representative of Hsahtung Saohpalong. Hkun Pung
(Signed) U Tin E
(Signed) U Htun Myint
(Signed) U Kya Bu
(Signed) Hkun Saw
(Signed) Sao Yape Hpa
(Signed) Hkun Htee