Optimism rises as peace talks expand at 'milestone' meeting

Members of armed ethnic groups agreed, describing it as “remarkable” and “essential for creating peace”.

The meeting expanded talks on the peace process from negotiations between the Union Peace Working Committee (UPWC) and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team – which represents armed ethnic groups – to include members of more than 30 ethnic political parties, as well as the opposition National League for Democracy and the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party. Observers attending the meeting included Vijay Nambiar, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special adviser on Myanmar.

Aung Min, UPWC vice chairman, said the meeting was the first of its kind.

“Everyone knows that these talk would have been impossible five years ago,” he said.

“This is a new political culture. There has never been a meeting like this between political parties, armed ethnic groups and the government. But this new culture has started today,” Aung Min said after the meeting. He said it proceeded smoothly and that he was hopeful the expansion of peace talks would be successful in establishing peace.

He said he welcomed the input from NCCT, ethnic political parties and the NLD, saying these could be the foundation for the country’s future. He also said the meeting was important for amending the framework for the political dialogue between the Union government and ethnic groups that will follow the signing of a nationwide peace agreement.  The agreement is expected to be signed by the end of October.

NCCT leader Naing Han Tha told leaders of political parties that the armed groups had been fighting to protect the basic rights of ethnic minorities and prevent their “extinction”.

“Myanmar has many ethnic groups, but because we lack basic rights we do not live together peacefully and in unity,” he said.

Naing Han Tha stressed that if this point – that ethnic groups lack basic rights – was “fully understood” it would not be difficult to deal with the country’s problems.

UPWC vice chairman and MP Thein Zaw said the nationwide ceasefire would soon be finalised, following extensive negotiations between the NCCT and UPWC.

Phado Saw Kwel Htoo Win, deputy leader of the NCCT, agreed that the August 18 meeting was “remarkable”.

“It was impossible for our ethnic armed groups and political parties to meet before. If we meet, we had to be very secretive. This is a remarkable meeting for the country’s peace process,” he added.

General Gun Maw, second leader of the NCCT, agreed that the meeting was critical and said that the entire peace process was changing. “Before we focused on how to fight, but now we are thinking about how to prevent clashes,” he said, adding the change had happened over the past two to three years. The talks have been moving forward even though the NCCT has not issued official statements saying this, General Gun Maw said.

Dr Tu Jar of the Kachin Democratic Party urged the government and armed ethnic groups not to delay Myanmar’s peace process. He said there were examples around the globe of peace being achieved quickly and said that a peace process should proceed as quickly as possible “for the sake of the people”.

“The ethnic groups want federalism … and the people want this as well. The country also needs it,” he added, saying that all sides should negotiate a formula for ensuring a federal union. Such a union would allow ethnic states a degree of self-determination and autonomy and could include resource-sharing agreements with Nay Pyi Taw, analysts say.

Tu Jar described the August 18 meeting as “essential for creating peace” and said it should continue until this objective is achieved.

Leaders of political parties said trust-building was necessary for peace and development, and said that there had been a history of mistrust.

“We have reached a higher stage [in peace talks],” NLD spokesman Nyan Win said. He warned, however, that the next step – political dialogue between ethnic groups and Nay Pyi Taw – would be “more delicate”, saying it was “very important” to keep this in mind.

Ethnic groups should not merely be granted a federal union drafted by the Union government, but should be involved in talks on the nuts of bolds of the federal system, Nyan Win said.