Suu Kyi to witness ceasefire agreement signing

The government’s Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) said President Thein Sein would sign the ceasefire along with 10 witnesses proposed by the ethnic groups’ special delegation, political parties and ethnic affairs ministers. 

Khun Myint Tun from the special delegation said: “We have proposed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as our public leader and another NLD member. We have also proposed three people, including U Khun Tun Oo, from the UNA [United Nationalities Alliance], three people from the NBF [Nationalities Brotherhood Federation], a member of the USDP [Union Solidarity and Development Party] and a representative of our special delegation.” 

The government is yet to confirm if members of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society will be invited to witness the event. 

The UPWC has also agreed to the inclusion of United Nations envoys and delegations from neighbouring countries, such as China, India and Thailand, as proposed by the special delegation.

Both parties have also agreed to sign the ceasefire in the presence of delegates from the USA, UK, Japan and Norway.

The government has refused to the request for all ethnic armed groups to sign the agreement. Thein Sein is due to meet ethnic leaders in Nay Pyi Taw on August 25 to continue discussions.

He has invited 15 out of 21 ethnic armed groups to participate in the agreement.