Maurer School of Law: Indiana University Digital Repository @ Maurer Law Books by Maurer Faculty Faculty Scholarship 2005 Designing Federalism in Burma David C. Williams Indiana University Maurer School of Law, [email protected] Lian H. Sakhong Follow this and additional works at: https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/facbooks Part of the Constitutional Law Commons, and the International Law Commons Recommended Citation Williams, David C. and Sakhong, Lian H., "Designing Federalism in Burma" (2005). Books by Maurer Faculty. 122. https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/facbooks/122 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Digital Repository @ Maurer Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Books by Maurer Faculty by an authorized administrator of Digital Repository @ Maurer Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE: Towards Federal Union of Burma [Series No. 10] jidrf;csrf;pGmtwl,SOfwJGaexdkifa&;0g'rSonf ppfrSefaomzuf'&,fjynfaxmifpkpepfqDodk h (pmpOftrSwf = 10) DESIGNING FEDERALISM IN BURMA Edited by: David C. Williams & Lian H. Sakhong Layout & Design: Sai Mawn UNLD(LA) With generous financial support from the NRP UNLD Press Chiang Mai, Thailand 2005 CONTENTS Forewords David Williams ................................................................................... 5 PART ONE: THE BASIC PRINCIPLES 1. Federalism, Constitution Making and State Building in Burma Lian H. Sakhong Introduction .................................................................................. 11 Federalism: Theoretical Analysis ............................................ 12 Federalism in Burmese Contexts: Lessons from 1947 ........ 15 Nation-Building and the Problem of Forced Assimilation ..20 State-Building and Unity in Diversity: An Option for the Future ........................................................................... 26 Conclusion: Finding Equilibrium between Nation-Building and State-Building ......................................... 27 2. The Basic Principles for Future Federal Union of Burma Lian H. Sakhong Preamble .................................................................................... 35 The Basic Principles of Federalism at the time of Union Formation ...................................................................... 36 Proposal for the Future ........................................................... 46 PART TWO: CONSTITUTIONAL DESIGN FOR BURMA 3. Constitutional Design for Burma: The First Lecture (2003) David C. Williams A. The Purpose of a Constitution ........................................ 55 (i) Electoral Systems ........................................................ 60 (ii) Separation of Powers ................................................. 61 (iii) Federalism .................................................................... 65 (iv) Individual Rights ......................................................... 66 B. Securing the Basis of Consent .......................................... 71 C. Federalism ............................................................................ 73 D. Electoral Systems ................................................................ 90 E. The Union Constitution .................................................. 106 F. Judicial Review .................................................................. 120 4. Constitutional Design for Burma: The Second Lecture (2004) David C. Williams A. Introduction ...................................................................... 127 B. State-Building and Nation-Building ................................ 130 (i) States ............................................................................... 133 (ii) Nations ........................................................................... 136 (iii) States and Nations ........................................................ 139 C. Federalism ........................................................................... 149 D. Federalism in Foreign Affairs .......................................... 161 (i) The States’ Ability to Make Their Own Foreign Policy ..................................................... 164 (ii) The States’ Participation in Foreign Policy ................ 171 (iii) Political Pressure ........................................................... 173 (iv) Implementation ............................................................. 174 (v) Direct Participation ..................................................... 180 (vi) Permanent Staffs ........................................................... 183 E. Electoral Systems .............................................................. 184 (i) Majoritarian Systems .................................................... 185 (ii) Proposal Systems .......................................................... 198 (iii) Combing Systems ......................................................... 204 F. Conclusion .......................................................................... 213 PART THREE: CONSTITUTIONAL DESIGN AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS 5. Constitutional Drafting and Fundamental Rights: The Example of Religious Freedom Susan H. Williams ..................................................................... 221 6. Constitutional Drafting and Fundamental Rights: The Example of Gender Equality Susan H. Williams .................................................................... 237 Designing Federalism in Burma FOREWORDS I have become one of the editors of this book series as a result of the sad death of a former editor, Chao-Tzang Yawnghwe, known to many as Uncle Eugene. I now assume his duties with the heavy awareness that I will never be able to fulfill them as he did. Uncle Eugene was one of the great leaders of the Burmese democratic movement in all its stages, from the very beginning to the most recent times. When we heard that his health had taken a turn for the worse, one of my friends e-mailed me: “He was a shining star of the movement, and now it seems, that star is falling down.” Life required of him extraordinary courage, resilience, and adaptability – as it does for all Burmese who keep alive the hope of a better future. When he thought it time to resist the military government by force of arms, he was ready, despite great personal peril. And then there came a time when he thought that he should turn away from guns and towards words, so that he could help his country prepare for a world after the SPDC. In the spirit of the Panglong Agreement, he was convinced that Burma could best be governed in a truly federal system, in which each state wrote its own constitution and then together created the federal union, with its constitution. In this book series, Lian H. Sakhong and I try to carry forward the work that he began. Part of Uncle Eugene’s legacy is the work of the Support Committee for State Constitutions. The purpose of the committee is to assist the groups who are drafting proposed constitutions for their various states. Uncle Eugene always understood that the most important part of the SCSC’s work was not so much to write constitutions as to start a process of education and consultation. No-one can tell exactly what the future holds for Burma. We can, however, safely predict one thing: when Burma’s next chance at democracy comes, it will need a group of leaders who know how to take up the burdens of constitutional democracy. And if Burma is to survive as a 5 Designing Federalism in Burma free country, it will need leaders who are committed to each other, so that they can steer their people through danger, hardship, anger, and fear. Burma has before it a difficult balancing act: it must find enough unity to stay together as one country, and it must also find the strength and confidence to allow its various states and cultures to govern themselves in their own way. When times become hard, this balance can be especially difficult to maintain. Some will be tempted to break away from Burma altogether; and others will be tempted to suppress the self- government of the states. Under those circumstances, Burma will need leaders of strength, courage, and integrity. And three things might particularly help to sustain those leaders through dark times: 1. KNOWLEDGE that other countries have faced similar problems and survived, and knowledge of how they have achieved this success through constitutional design; 2. MUTUAL COMMITMENT to each other and to the common project, even people from very different backgrounds, growing from long exposure to each other in the process of developing a constitutional system; 3. TESTED IDEAS about how best to arrange a constitutional system that both allows the union government to keep the country together and also allows the constituent states to govern themselves. In its supporting role, the SCSC tries to help the future leaders of Burma acquire these three things. Even after Burma is blessed with a democratic federal government, it will still face troubles. When those troubles come, Burma’s leaders may be able to work out their differences if they have these three things. They will remember that other countries have come through the same sort of trouble, that constitutional ideas will help get them through, and above all, that they had 6 Designing Federalism in Burma formed deep bonds and friendships in the process of creating a constitutional system for Burma, rooted in ideas and hopes, not anger and fear. This volume is designed to serve as a concise introduction to certain constitutional