Karen to hold unity meeting in Hpa-an

“The goal is to unite Karen people. I will be attending the conference at the request of Karen people,” said the minister who takes care of peace talks with ethnic groups.

On January 22, he travelled to Myawaddy for peace talks with the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, including a truce between rebel troops and armed border guards.

The Karen National Union (KNU) will also hold its first central committee meeting with new executive members next month.

“Leaders from both the government army and KNU are planning to meet this March for advanced cease-fire talks, including a resettlement program,” Dr Min Zaw Oo of the Myanmar Peace Centre said. 

The government established peace negotiations with nearly all ethnic groups, but the Kachin, which has said it is willing to talk about a political settlement – not a ceasefire, is still fighting with the government troops in the far north.

Aung Min said separately that his government expected to establish peace nationwide during its term so the next government can focus on development. Speaking at the Myanmar Peace Centre, he said that if the government was unable to complete the process of establishing peace the next government could continue it. 

“Myanmar will have an election in 2015 and the people will choose the government most suitable for them. If the peace process is not finished in this government’s term, the next democratic government will complete the job,” said Aung Min, who is also vice-chairman of the government’s Peace Making Committee.

“We will do what we can before the election, but if we don’t succeed the next government can continue [working for peace],” Aung Min said.

President’s Office Minister Soe Thein told the same forum that ensuring peace was a greater achievement than switching from military to civilian rule. Soe Thein also said a goal of this government was to achieve peace so the next can focus on development.

Aung Min said the government was trying to build trust in order to bring peace to Kachin State, noting fighting had ceased for a few days. 

The Peace Making Committee could not achieve peace on its own, he said. The army, armed ethnic groups, social organisations and citizens had to join forces to ensure peace, he said.

The Defence Ministry on Monday dismissed reports by media, foreign embassies and NGOs over the attack on the Kachin in Laiza recently. Internal and external organisations, embassies and media issued fabricated news about armed conflict, it claimed, and that made people misunderstand the government and the Tatmadaw. In fact, it was the Kachin who created trouble and attacked innocent civilians, the statement alleged.