Friday, March 31, 2017

Maj-Gen James Hartsell congratulates Myanmar on government transition



March 30, 2017

A workshop on Media Relations during Crisis and Conflicts took place at the Thingaha Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday with an address by National Security Advisor U Thaung Tun.


In his address, National Security Advisor U Thaung Tun said that crisis and issues in Rakhine State are high on the agenda, and but the situation in Rakhine has improved considerably. As the border guard forces were violently attacked the security forces had to react in accordance with the law.

There is no human rights abuse and action will be taken against those who committed misdeeds. What we are doing at the moment is ensure peace and stability in the region and the next step is to develop infrastructure. At such a time, the workshop held today will contribute much to tackling crisis in the country.

Next, Maj-Gen James Hartsell, Director of Daniel K. Inouye Asian-Pacific Centre for Security Studies-DKI APCSS, USA said that he would like to recognize the historic success that Myanmar has achieved to date with its peaceful and relatively stable and sustainable political transition to a democratic form of government, adding that you are to be especially commended for your free, fair, peaceful, and orderly elections that took place in November 2015 which by the will of the people transitioned what had been the opposition party at that time into the leadership role of the current government as well as for your continued and sustained dialogues on the national peace and reconciliation processes between the government and armed ethnic groups.

He continued that he recognized that there remains a long road ahead for the people and the government and much work still needs to be done due to complex challenges your nation faces in political, social, economic and national security areas.

He disclosed that some of the greatest challenges still faced are that some of the ethnic groups are armed and have refused to sign the ceasefire agreement and they have continued to actively resist the peace and reconciliation process that the majority have agreed to.

There is the challenge of the simmering communal tension in Rakhine State, and all of this has created a perception of insecurity and instability in Myanmar which has caused some key foreign investors to hold off on coming.

He went on to say that Myanmar is experiencing the same phenomenon that other nations have experienced, which is the implementation of press freedom and free speech, come additional layers of complexity in governing.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar

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