Army urged to negotiate

The Tatmadaw (armed forces) should negotiate rather than use force to get all remaining ethnic armed organisations to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), said Karen National Union (KNU) chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe.
 “Some ethnic armed organisations accept the NCA, but they have not signed it yet due to various reasons. The Tatmadaw is urged to use the negotiation process but not force against them to ensure that they will get involved in the NCA signing,” he told the ceasefire ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw.
“The Tatmadaw needs to immediately reduce military tensions,” said Khun Myint Tun, the chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Federation.
The KNU and PNLO were two of eight groups that signed the agreement on Thursday with President Thein Sein. Witnessing the event was Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The remaining eight groups opted out, citing that a real peace deal should involve all. Joining the negotiations were 16 armed groups, but a total of 21 groups exist in the country.
The deal has been hailed as a positive beginning to end the six decades of civil war, but optimism is blurred without the involvement of other rebel groups amid sporadic clashes with the army in Kachin and Shan states.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby urged all signatories to honour the agreement.
“Military action undertaken by or against any signatory or non-signatory to this agreement undermines the trust-building necessary for lasting peace, stability, and security… Dialogue among all parties will be essential to ensuring continued progress toward national trust-building and lasting peace… We remain concerned by reports of continued military offensives in Kachin and Shan states and the lack of humanitarian access to many of the more than 100,000 internally displaced persons in those areas,” he said in a statement.
On behalf of the European Union, High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said: “It is important that ongoing dialogue with the groups that have not signed is prioritised in order to continue to build trust. We welcome the inclusion of these groups, as observers, in the next phase of the process.”
The deal has brought about relief to the business sector. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported that the Union of Myanmar Federation of Cambers of commerce and industry issued a statement to commend the signing. The Kanbawza Group of Companies also published a full-page ad in the newspaper to applaud the agreement to “share its extraordinary pride for the people of Myanmar for the successful signing of the NCA”.
Thein Sein said at the ceremony that the deal paved the way for others to participate.
The good news is non-signatories did not totally reject the deal.
“Although we didn’t sign it, we agree with the text,” La Nan, spokesman for the Kachin Independent Army, active in the far north, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. “We just want an all-inclusive truce, not one like that.”
Another group that did not sign was the United Wa State Army, considered one of the largest and most effective.
“While this is a step in the right direction, the fact that it is so close to the elections – and that they pushed through with only eight parties – means this may be more of a political show for [President] Thein Sein,” said an academic in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Minister Aung Min, representing the government in the negotiations, said opting out were groups bordering China, which would provide assistance in support of the NCA. After the signing, he also announced that development priorities will be given to areas where the ceasefire accord is in place, and projects would also roll in areas inhabited by groups which did not sign the ceasefire if they approve.