Myanmar Peace Centre chairman blames foreign funding for civil unrest

Aung Min, also a minister at the President’s Office, said 30 foreign countries had provided aid through NGOs to ethnic groups and that this support was the main reason armed conflicts continue in Myanmar.

National League for Democracy MP Win Htein recently posed questions about transparency at the centre, as well as the allegedly high salaries received by some staff and their motivation for working at the MPC. Aung Min provided a lengthy answer.

“We need good players to carry out the peace process,” he began, before listing them. He said the No 1 player was the administration of President Thein Sein, No 2 was the group led by Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann, and No 3 was the army, armed ethnic groups, political parties and international organisations.

“Thirty foreign countries provide aid through NGOs. Mainly due to this support, the armed conflicts live on.”.

However, he said, times have changed. “Now [foreign governments] have turned their attention to the [Union] government to give us support as they trust us. They have all turned to us, but we don’t have authority to touch their funds,” he said, adding that the lack of access to these funds was “regretful”.

Win Htein told Aung Min that he found it dispiriting to read articles that questioned the quality and integrity of MPC staff. The MP, who represents Meikhtila constituency in Mandalay Region, referred specifically to a report in 7 Days journal two weeks ago that raised such questions and alleged that the MPC had put people with poor reputations for business dealings and social behaviour into senior positions. 

“How much transparency is there?” Win Htein asked. Have MPC staff been evaluated to determine whether they are seeking peace or other gains from the centre? he asked.

Aung Min responded by saying it comprised many groups. “To discuss whether the MPC is transparent or not, it has ethnic armed groups and others, such as the ABDSDF … Some of its members went abroad to study. The group joined the MPC pledging they will always be loyal to the nation. The MPC is working to achieve peace. The organisation needs to talk with the enemies. We have enemies. I admit that.  I take responsibility for their mistakes. Punish me,” he said. 

He also identified the “enemies” inside the MPC as former members of ethnic and other non-state armies who had decided to work for peace with the Union government, referring specifically to members of the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) – a student army formed after the 1988 uprising.