Shan Language Will Not Be Added to State Parliamen

The speaker of the Shan State parliament shot down a question about whether the ethnic Shan language could be added to the sign outside the parliamentary headquarters in Taunggyi. The inquiry was posed by Mong Kurng MP Sai Long, who asked in the 19th state parliament session if the Shan could be added next to Burmese language. “There are no Shan words on the Shan State parliament building. The Shan script represents Shan State. We want to see Shan words on the Shan State parliament building,” the MP told SHAN. He pointed out that the Mon State parliamentary building has a sign in front identifying the building in the Mon language. However, the Shan State parliament speaker Sai Long Hseng said that it was “enough” to label the building in the official language of Burmese and the international language of English. He added that since Shan State is a multiethnic state, other ethnicities would try to propose that the building also be identified in their respective languages if Shan was added. Sai Long Hseng also has required MPs to send their questions that they wish to discuss in parliament 10 days ahead of the session. Mong Kurng MP Sai Long said that he believes the sign outside the legislature will inevitably need to be changed. “This signboard will be written in Shan language one day. This is the truth,” he told SHAN.