Union Minster for the Office of the State Counsellor attends opening of NCA-S EAO office in Yangon

 November 18, 2017

the office for the National Ceasefire Agreement Signatories Ethnic Armed Organizations (NCA-S EAO) was opened in a ceremony at No.6 Shwe Li Road in Kamaryut Township yesterday .

Opening ceremony ribbons were cut by Saw Mu Htoo Say Poe, the head of the steering committee for Peace Process and Chairman of the Karen National Union, U Kyaw Tint Swe, the Union Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor, U Aung Kyi, Head of the advisory group of the peace process, and Mr. Manuel De Rivera, the Peace Support Programme Manager.

Chairman Saw Mu Htoo Say Poe delivered the opening address. He said the signing of the NCA was a fundamental first step in the peace process, but more support is needed to achieve that goal. He said the NCA-S EAO office is one such support that displays the unity and negotiations of the eight signatories and connects the EAO groups. He said even though this office was built with the NCA signatories in mind, it serves as a focal point for connecting with international organisations in the peace effort.

Next, Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe gave a speech saying that the road to peace is a long one, but since the NCA-S EAO office is located close to the office for National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC), he said he hopes the long road has been shortened even by a small portion. “This office will allow everyone to contact each other immediately anytime, anywhere,” said the Union Minister. “This will build trust, familiarity and respect between the members, which in turn will lead to the Federal Democratic Nation that the public is hoping for.”

Afterwards, U Aung Kyi and Mr. Manuel De Rivera delivered speeches and Khun Okkar, the Chairperson of Pa-O National Liberation Army and a member of the Peace Process, gave words of thanks. Also present at the ceremony were Nai Thet Lwin, Union Minister for Ethnic Affairs, members of the Peace Commission, leaders and representatives of the Ethnic Armed Groups, ambassadors of foreign embassies in Yangon and other invited guests. Chairperson Kun Okkar then answered questions by the media and journalists after the ceremony. A report was published during the ceremony which says that the NCA-S EAO office has set a strong oath to speed up the peace process and national reconciliation of the country. The report also says the NCA is not the final destination but a path for concerned Armed Ethnic Groups to find answers to political situations. The report also says all Myanmar citizens are important for the peace process and it says the signatories of the NCA are always ready to welcome the non-signatories armed ethnic groups to sign the NCA.

By Zaw Gyi

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar