Govt, ethnic armies fail to reach ceasefire deal

The Union Peacemaking Implementation Work Committee, led by Minister of the President’s Office Aung Min, was meeting with the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) for the third time in Chiang Mai. At the meeting, the UNFC, a group representing 11 ethnic armed groups, cited a lack of political guarantees as its reason for refusing to accept the government’s offer to sign a nationwide ceasefire deal in the capital Nay Pyi Taw in October.

“The government asked us to sign the nationwide ceasefire deal in October. … As this offer can’t give us political guarantees, we don’t accept it,” said Phado Marn Marn, UNFC general secretary. 

“The government has highlighted principles ahead of political dialogue and asked us to sign a nationwide ceasefire deal. During our first meeting [in Chiang Mai], we demanded six points for the ceasefire. … At the second meeting we proposed five points for the ceasefire,” Phado Marn Marn added. 

The UNFC’s five prerequisites for a ceasefire are: putting an end to ongoing skirmishes between the army and armed groups, building trust in military affairs, including all armed groups in any ceasefire agreement, a government announcement before any deal is signed, and transparency in any national-level agreement.

Colonel Khun Okka of the UNFC dismissed the significance of the meeting’s outcome on Sunday.

“Today’s meeting was nothing in particular. The government invited us to sign the nationwide ceasefire deal in October and asked us about conditions for the political dialogue. We don’t mean to [permanently] decline the signing of the nationwide ceasefire deal,” Khun Okka told Eleven Media.

The government and the UNFC held previous meetings in Chiang Mai in November in 2012 and February this year. The nationwide ceasefire agreement is seen as a necessary first step to negotiating a lasting peace to end decades of civil war between the army and minority ethnic groups who have been fighting for regional autonomy.