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Shan State (Myanmar)

Giuseppe Bottasini, 1996-APR-01

Description of the flag
Meaning of the flag
Proposed 1974 flag

See also:

Myanmar

Description of the flag

In an old (1993) magazine I found a picture with this flag: a three equal horz stripes yellow - green - orange and a central white disc over them. The caption says:

"Gen. Khun Sa, the "king of opium" of Golden Triangle, called "the prince of death". He is the chief of a private army of 20.000 people, the Mong Tay Army, which controls wide opium plantations in Eastern Birman jungle."

Giuseppe Bottasini, 1996-APR-01

I think this flag is the flag of the Shan state. A version of this flag appears in [cra90], at the page of the flags of the peoples seeking independence.

Pascal Vagnat, 1996-APR-02

In "Flaggenmitteilungen" no. 100 an article about the flag of Shanland:

Breadth 3 x length 1 1/2, radius of white disc 1, three horizontal stripes yellow-ochre/green/red in a ratio of 1/2 each.

Mark Sensen, 1996-JUN-01

Meaning of the flag

In "Flaggenmitteilungen" no. 100 an article about the flag of Shanland:

Yellow ochre indicates that all of the nationalities of Shanland belong to the yellow race; also indicates that Shanland is a Buddhist country, the robe of the Buddhist monks has the same color. Green represents the evergreen landscape, warm climate and agriculture, the basis of Shan economy. Red symbolizes the courageous spirit of the Shan people. White disc stands for the moon, because the Shan people are so pure and gentle like the moon; they love peace and quiet, they wish to co-exist peacefully with all nationalities inside and outside of Shanland, and they do not provoke and attack the other peoples.

Mark Sensen, 1996-JUN-01

Proposed 1974 flag

Jaume Oll�

There exists a postal stamp from Myanmar when it was known as Burma (number 149, 1974) which shows the flags of the Burmese states. Although I have not been able to obtain the stamp, from its image in a postal catalogue it seems clear that none of the flags are those of Arakan or Shan (generally described). I would conclude that this blue over three yellow mountains flag with a white star in the upper part of the blue is one created by the regime of Burma for the former Burmese states, different from the flags adopted by the peoples that inhabit in them in their struggle against the government.
Jaume Oll�, 6-JUL-1996