Sao Noan Oo or Nel Adams, born 1931 - the life story of a Shan princess -excerpts from her book, My Vanished World from Chapter 12 - The Panglong Agreement episode 7

Myanmar Oral History Project - life stories

Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.

Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.
Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024X
She has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474.
Nel firmly believes the fate of the Shan as an independent country was sealed by the signing of the Panglong Agreement on 14 February, 1947. According to the Agreement the Shan State was bound to be part of the Union of Myanmar but would have the right to secede after 10 years if the Union failed. This right was also embedded in the 1948 Constitution but which was effectively "torn up" following the 1962 coup by General Ne Win.

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Thank you for listening .
Peter Church