Birth of Pyidaungsu Accord for Peace

May 29, 2017

Peace is at hand, peace makers said yesterday at the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong (Second Session), which wrapped up yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw.

The five-day conference was marked by sometimes heated discussions, but there was compromise and eventual agreement on enough of the issues to move forward toward a peace accord, officials said, with 33 points agreed upon during the five-day session as part of the Pyidaungsu (Union) Accord.

“All agreements on a federal system were not reached in one sitting, but we agreed on the important policy on separation of powers in the executive, legislative, and judicial sectors”, Chairperson Lt-Gen Yar Pyae said in his closing address. “We didn’t reach this stage easily. Due to the different beliefs among the ethnic nationals of our country, armed conflicts had occurred and as the armed conflict prolongs, suspicion between one another grew and because of the growing suspicion, it was difficult even to use the word federal.”

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, chairperson of Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong central organising committee, said significant progress was made.

“These agreements will form part of the future Union Accord. “We have now for the first time reached the stage of signing agreements at this conference” she said. “The agreements that we have been able to sign today mark a significant step on our path towards peace, national reconciliation, and the emergence of a democratic federal Union.

Conference officials said the Tatmadaw should be recognised for their willingness to negotiate and compromise with the representatives of the armed ethnic groups, which have their own differing agendas and demands.

“With personal experience of participating in the heated and thorough discussions, we can say courageously that the good outcome of the conference is due to the changing policy and attitude of the Tatmadaw and its ardent desire to achieve peace,” said Khun Okka, who presided over the conference. “It is believed that the Tatmadaw will retain this stance without change until the time eternal peace is achieved together with the forming of the democratic federal union.”

Khun Okka expressed his delight for the achievements of the peace conference, calling the accomplishments of the conference “the birth of the Pyidaungsu Accord”.

“This is progress, a step forward for the NCA-based peace process,” he said, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi expressed thanks to all the stakeholders for the peace making.

“I am greatly encouraged that, despite our many different views and perspectives, we have been able, through frank discussion and negotiation, to reach common positions” she said. “Through dialogue, we have begun the important task of laying the foundations of democracy and federalism for future generations. All those involved should be proud of their efforts to make this possible. The peace that our people have dreamed of for so long is starting to take tangible form for the first time.”

Present at yesterday’s event were the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee vice chairmen, members, secretariat, heads and members of the government group, Hluttaw group, Tatmadaw group, ethnic armed organisation group, political group, stakeholder group, observers, invited guests and officials.

The conference was presided over by Khun Okka, with co-chairmen Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe, Khun Thein Pe and U Nyan Win.

After the speeches, submissions of policy agreements by sectors were made by Tatmadaw group representative U Khin Zaw Oo on political sector policy proposals, ethnic armed organisation group representative Daw Saw Mya Yarzar Lin on economic sector policy proposals, political party group representative U Naing Ngan Lin on social sector policy proposals and hluttaw group representative U Aung Soe on land and natural environmental sector policy proposals.

Next, government group representative U Naing Swe Oo, Hluttaw group representative U Htay Win Aung @ U Pyone Cho, Tatmadaw group representative Col. Aung Khin Thein and ethnic armed organisation group Phado Mahn Nyein Maung  gave a supporting speech for the 37 proposals submitted by sector.

Khun Okka announced the confirmation of all submitted policy proposals as the government group, Hluttaw group, Tatmadaw group, ethnic armed organisation group and political party group supported all the 37 proposals – 12 political sector policy proposals, 11 economic sector proposals, four social sector policy proposals and 10 land and natural environmental sector policy proposals.

The 37 proposals confirmed by the Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong (Second Session) were then signed as part of the Union (Pyidaungsu) Agreement.

After the signing of the agreement, Chairperson of Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong central organising committee, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, spoke of the importance of the accomplishments made at the conference, and the long road that still lies ahead.

“Whereas short journeys can be completed using physical strength alone, marathons require, above all, a strength and determination of spirit. Such a spirit will sustain us as we continue along the lengthy path towards peace. I believe that our experiences at this conference will carry us towards the unity that will allay the doubts that some may have regarding this peace process” she said. “All of us bear the wounds of past grievances. But rather than bequeath these wounds to our future generations, we have now started to seek means of healing them. It is never easy to find common ground amidst differences. And it is especially difficult in a country such as ours, where we have known almost 70 years of armed conflict. Nevertheless, we have shown clearly today that we can find similarities despite our differences, and that we can identify common ground through peaceful negotiation.”

Khun Okka announced that an account was opened for the Union Peace Fund at Myanma Economic Bank (Nay Pyi Taw) on 9 January and, as of 19 May 2017, more than 150 donors had donated Ks15.45 billion. The minimum donation was Ks3,000 and the maximum donation was more than Ks3 billion.

In his closing speech, Chairperson Lt-Gen Yar Pyae said looking at the agreements reached in the second conference, it can be seen that discussions were started on the basic principles to form a union based on democracy and federal system and agreements were reached on some.

“Due to the different beliefs among the ethnic nationals of our country, armed conflicts had occurred and as the armed conflict prolongs, suspicion between one another grew and because of the growing suspicion, it was difficult even to use the word federal”, said Lt-Gen Yar Pyae.

But continued discussions resulted in agreements on most issues, and also some much-needed faith among the participants.
“This is a sign that a certain degree of trust was formed within the ethnic national brothers”, said Lt-Gen Yar Pyae. “The political scene we arrived at today is a political culture that never existed before in Myanmar.”

Going forward, officials said efforts would continuously be made to include the ethnic armed organisations that are still outside of the peace process.

“While attempting to include all, we will proceed forward with those that are already in the process. This challenge is faced by any country with many armed organisations. We will always leave the door open for the remaining armed organisations to overcome this challenge”, said Lt-Gen Yar Pyae.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar