Reconciliation begins, amid fighting

MYANMAR’S reconciliation started last week amid sporadic fighting in the northern states.

National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, in her role as chairperson of the Lower House Rule of Law, Peace and Stability Committee, met foreign representatives from 41 embassies and international organisations in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday.

As she prepares to form a government following her electoral triumph, Suu Kyi invited the diplomats to discuss the rule of law in the post-election period.

Diplomats from 26 nations - Japan, India, France, Austria, Demark, Canada, Israel, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Italy, Serbia, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Brunei, Thailand, Australia, Switzerland, Poland, New Zealand, the Netherland, Egypt, Germany and the United States - attended the gathering, as well as UN and EU representatives.

The meeting lasted about 90 minutes.

“They discussed the situation before, during and after the election. Diplomats who wanted to ask questions were allowed to raise their hands. The diplomat from North Korea was sitting next to me but he didn’t ask a question,” said committee member Sai Boe Aung.

The US ambassador, Derek Mitchell, told the media that post-election matters were extensively and openly discussed, but declined to give further details.

The committee submitted a report to Parliament on November 17 detailing around 1,800 complaints about the judiciary, 1,200 land-related problems, 600 complaints about the administration and 125 about other problems.

Also on Thursday, Suu Kyi had a two-hour meeting with House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann. She also sought similar meetings with Presi-dent Thein Sein and the army chief.

Suu Kyi’s reconciliation process has been praised by the international community. Last week, European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini made a call to her, welcoming the early initiatives for dialogue in a spirit of national unity and reconciliation. Mogherini also pledged support to the transition of power.

Ethnic armed groups also sought a meeting with Suu Kyi.

Karen National Union general-secretary Pado Saw Kwal Htoo Win said all the eight groups that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement sought such a meeting, to hear her policy on how to achieve piece.

He said the main problem in Myanmar’s armed conflicts was the lack of respect for ethnic diversity. He said this problem has not been solved politically and resulted in armed conflict over several decades.

He said: “We need to solve the basic political crisis for national reconciliation. It must take time.”

As the transition of power is underway, skirmishes still continued in parts of Shan and Kachin states.

A clash between the army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was reported during November 15 and 16, near Monhyin Township. The army said the KIA established a new base in the township and the attack was launched in response to the KIA’s recruitment and taxation of local residents.

An officer from the Special Opera-tions office of Northern Command said the base had just been established and the Tatmadaw (armed forces) had no knowledge of it.

Clashes between the military and the KIA began in May in the Hpakant, Mansi and Sumprabum regions, with conflicts breaking out nearly every month until September. Both sides have suffered casualties.

“Now, a government elected by the people is ready. After a power handover, that government has to lead the country. If the military continues to be offensive, it will mean the military is neglecting the power transfer. So if we want to bring about political dialogue, the military should declare a unilateral ceasefire,” said Sai Laik, spokesperson of the Shan National League for Democracy.