Day two of Union Peace Conference achieves agreement for most points in five sectors

 May 25, 2017

The Union Peace Conference— 21st Century Panglong (second session) discussed position papers in five sectors and reached agreement for the majority of the points in the five sectors.

Agreed upon were 41 points of facts related to the political, economic, social, land and environment sectors, reached by representatives of the government, Hluttaw, the Tatmadaw, ethnic armed organisations and political parties, according to the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) Secretariat.

“Today’s discussion over the political sector is very positive. All participants have committed to signing the Union agreement,” said Dr Salai Hlan Hmon Sar Khaung, a member of the Secretariat  of UPDJC at the press conference following the meeting.

Positive results also came out from the remaining four sectors, said the representatives at the press conference.

The results will be submitted to the final-day meeting of the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong (second session)  on 28th May.

At all the sessions concerning different sectors, opening speches were made and rules, regulations and disciplines were read out.Then representatives from the governmental group, Hluttaw group, Tatmadaw group, armed national ethnic group and political parties’ group entered into discussions. Following that, the tasks of presenting and putting on record the combined discussions were performed, after which the leading presidents made closing speeches.

The morning session concerning the political sector was presided over by U Kyaw Tint Swe, with the evening session presided over by Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win. Members of the presiding board are U Than Khe, Daw Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein and Naing Chit Oo.

In the discussion of the political sector, the topics of the proposal on sovereignty, proposals on exercising sovereignty, the proposal on equality, the proposal on self-promulgation, the proposal on the policy of Federal Union (formation and power division) and the proposal on multi-party democracy were debated.

In the discussion concerning the economic sector, the morning session was presided over by U Tun Naing and the evening session presided over by Khun Tin Shwe Oo, with Sai Yi Tip, Mi Kun Chan, U Li Paw Ye and Brigadier Thet Aung as the members of the presiding board.

In the discussion of the economic sector, various matters were debated regarding effective implementation of market economy, banning the emergence of monopolised economy, effective implementation of the acquisition of equal rights on economic development in the Union, Regions & States, self-administered regions and fair division of budgets and taxes in accord with the Constitution among the Union Government and Regions, States and regional governments.

In addition, division of authority & power on economy among the Union Government, Cabinets of Regions & States, Self-administered Regions and regional groups in accord with the Constitution, and matters on the implementation after laying down long, medium and short-term economic projects of the State with transparency, accountability and responsibility were discussed.

In the discussion concerning the social sector, U Thein Swe presided over the morning session and Dr Naw Kapaw Htoo did preside the evening session with Poo Bwe Lian Mahn, Daw Nan Win Kyi, Daw Zin Mar Aung and U Ne Win acting as members of the presiding board.

In the discussion of the social sector, various matters were respectively discussed regarding systematically made plans for a durable solution on the victims and displaced people who were subject to man-made hazards or natural disasters by abiding by international standards without any discriminations, and matters on rehabilitation of victims and displaced people who were subject to armed conflicts, man-made disasters and natural calamities in their origins or other secure places, of their own accords.
In addition, other matters on the effective safeguard of basic rights and privileges of the aged, the feeble, women and children regardless of race, religion and status, lifting up of their social lives and implementing the eradication of narcotic drugs effectively assuming that these are national problem or political issue were discussed.

Similarly, in the discussion of land and natural environment sector, U Tun Tun Hein presided over the morning session and Pular Ram Law Mar did the evening session with Saw Daniel, U Zaw Min Latt, Sai Yi and Brigadier Myint Maung Oo acting as the members of the presiding board.

In the discussion of the land and natural environment, basic principles were respectively discussed regarding emergence of people-orientated land policy which will help the sustainable development for the nation, based on justice and fairness, lessening central control, drawing up land policy by taking human rights, international standards, democratic and federal norms into consideration.

Besides six basic principles, matters on ownership, management and arrangements for protection accepted at the different levels of discussions including UPDJC were discussed.

Likewise, in the discussion of the security sector, Brigadier General Sein Tun Hla presided over the morning session and Phyartan Khun Okkar presided over the evening session with Sao Baung Khe, Poo Zin Khant Sun, U En Hton Khar Naw Sam and U Saw Tun Aung Myint acting as members of the presiding board.

In the discussion on the security sector, principles on the existence of the only one “Tatmadaw,” was also discussed.

It has been learnt that on 26 May, discussions on political, economic, social, land & natural environment and security sectors and discussions between the government, Hluttaw, Tatmadaw, armed national ethnic groups and political parties will continue to be held.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar