Kokang to join Panghsan meet but not through its leader

Kokang leader Peng Jiasheng, also called Pheung Kya-shin, will not attend the three-day conference beginning Friday due to age and ill-health, Aung Myint said Monday.

The UWSA is organising the conference in Panghsan Township, which is in Shan State and the group's headquarters.

"Leaders from all 12 ethnic armies will attend, but not Peng Jiasheng since he’s getting old and unhealthy," he said. "Someone from his Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army will attend."

A chairperson, vice-chairperson and commander-in-chief or deputy commander-in-chief from each ethnic army is invited, and the UWSA arranged for accommodation, transportation, security and conference requirements for them.

The leaders of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) - Naing Han Thar, Padoh Kwe Htoo Win and Maj-General Gun Maw - will also attend the conference.

A final draft of a ceasefire pact negotiated by the Union Peacemaking Work Committee, which represents the government, and NCCT, which speaks for the armed ethnic groups, will be reviewed and discussed, said Khun Okkar, a colonel in the Pa-Oh National Liberation Organisation, which unlike the UWSA, is a member of the NCCT. Sixteen armed groups are members of NCCT.

The armed ethnic groups are convening to discuss the draft peace agreement with the government. Both sides have hoped to sign the final agreement before the election later this year.

There is a possible rift among the ethnic groups, though.

The National Brotherhood Federation (NBF), an alliance of 20 armed groups, on April 23 issued a statement saying that the ethnic representative, who attended the six-party talk held in presidential palace, was not nominated by the 21 ethnic political parties.

The announcement apparently irritated Aye Maung, the Myanmar government's representative for ethnic minorities. He publicly questioned who was behind the announcement.

Aye Maung is an Upper House representative, chairperson of the Rakhine National Party (RNP), as well as a member of the NBF. He said the NBF should have informed the RNP about the announcement.

“Who is leading the NBF? Who are releasing announcements as they wish? Does the leadership of the NBF really match with the desires of the 21 ethnic parties? Can one who gave financial support lead the organisation? Is the NBF really based on democracy? Who pushed to release the announcement?” said Aye Maung.

He also retorted with a question as to whether the members of the NBF chose the representative for the over-40-party-talk, led by President Thein Sein, when the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) chairperson Sai Eik Paung attended as the NBF representative.

The SNLD released an announcement regarding Aye Maung on April 22. The announcement said Aye Maung told the media that ethnic parties have discussed the results of the six-party talk and all have agreed. However, the SNLD has not met with Aye Maung, and no ethnic Shan representative attended the six-party talk. Furthermore, the SNLD has not been been briefed on the results of the talk. The SNLD claims it is not a party to the agreement mentioned by Aye Maung.