JCB reaches six agreements

February 23, 2017

The Joint Coordination Body (JCB) for Peace Process Funding held a meeting in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, reaching consensus on six issues, including an amendment on the reformation of JCB and fund allowances to the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) and signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

The six agreements are:

— to reform the JCB with 10 government representatives (one chairperson and nine members from the government) and 10 representatives from ethnic armed organizations;

— allow the proposed US$2.5 million to the NRPC;

— allow aid to the Joint Monitoring Committee-JMC through a UN platform, to seek aid for JMC including US$6.5 million needed for JMC from more than one channel;

— allow US$4.7 million required for the Coordination Team (CT) offices of the signatories to the NCA;

— JCB will take responsibility for giving assistance to the Peace Supporting Development Sector. They will also hold talks over the plan for the sector between the two sides and report to the JCB meeting.

— allot a maximum of Ks60 million for the fund allowed by the NRPC for holding the national-level political dialogues and not to cause different spending standards for national-level political dialogues in regions and states.

In her opening address at the meeting, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads the JCB, stressed the need to practice a parallel approach to give protection to and promote the benefits of indigenous peoples of the country while negotiations are being held to ease the conflicts. In her concluding remarks, the State Counsellor reiterated that the government was making efforts for inclusiveness for the country’s peace process, inviting those who have not yet done so to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement to the Panglong Conference-21st Century Panglong.

She expressed thanks to the participants for the negotiation and debate during the meeting, calling for seeking solutions in the peace process through debate and negotiations.

The meeting was attended by: Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe; Chairman of the Peace Commission Dr Tin Myo Win; Lt-Gen Yar Pyai; Lt-Gen Ye Aung; U Htun Htun Oo; Chairperson of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Amyotha Hluttaw Daw Shilar Nan Taung; Pyithu Hluttaw MP U Saw Tin Win., Also in attendance were representatives of the signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement including: Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, General Secretary of KNU; U Khun Okka, Patron of PNLO; members of the Delegation for Political Negotiations (DPN) of the non-signatories to the NCA Nai Aung Mangay, Ku Plu Rah and U Tun Zaw, Adviser Daw Khaung Nang, U San Lau, head of the external affairs department of the Wa Special Region-2 and U Kham Maung of the peace and organising committee of the Special Region-4, Mongla.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar