February 14,
2018
A new step in
the direction of perpetual peace and stability has been made in Myanmar. The
New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) signed the
Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) at the Myanmar International Convention
Centre –II in Nay Pyi Taw on 13 February, 2018.
The is one of
the first steps which can lay the foundation for a Democratic Federal Republic
which will emerge in the future for national reconciliation and union peace.
That auspicious
day coincided with the birthday of our Independence architect Bogyoke Aung San,
which was celebrated on a grand scale across the country.
It was pleasing
to see this auspicious day in which ethnic national races signed the Panglong
Agreement, which could result in a new chapter in Myanmar’s history.
The journey to
our national reconciliation and Federalism is not always smooth. The path to
peace is a long-distance journey based on resolute spirit and faith. There have
been ups and downs, fits and starts and there have been many twists and turns
in the peace process. All Myanmar nationals watched this signing ceremony with
high hopes and enthusiasm.
Panglong Spirit
At the signing
ceremony of the NCA, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, “This is the
decision to make the first step to jointly lay the foundation stone of the
Democratic Federal Republic that will emerge in the future for national
reconciliation and union peace.
The NCA is the
beginning of the Peace Process, the beginning of the political dialogues and
the beginning of reduction of armed conflicts; it is the beginning of the
political process that will result from the resolution of political problems
through negotiations, discussions and the joint search for solutions.
At the same
time, in the NCA there are agreements for formulating policies and frameworks
for political dialogues and for initiating various steps of political dialogues
for the emergence of political dialogues that will result in the establishment
of the Democratic Federal Republic”.
A Good Prospect
After regaining
independence in 1948, Myanmar suffered the consequences of insurgencies and
unrest mainly due to mistrust, hatred and the evil effects of armed conflicts.
Successive governments spoke with ethnic armed groups to halt the unrest, which
lasted for many decades. As a result, the government and ethnic armed groups
agreed to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015.
At the UPDJC
meeting, Peace Commission’s secretary U Khin Zaw Oo said, “Peace Commission and
Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN) of United Nationalities Federation
Council (UNFC) held a total of 18 meetings — nine formal meetings and nine
informal meetings — within an 18-month period. Meetings were also held
periodically with ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) who have not yet signed the
NCA.
If I am asked
whether other groups can sign the NCA in 2018, I will have to say yes. I can’t
say which group, but there are many possibilities of more groups signing the
NCA. We still have more than 10 months left, and we’ll negotiate to reach a consensus.
The UPDJC will
start in the coming few days. Holding national-level political dialogues will
be discussed. We will also continue to work with groups who are unable to hold
national-level political dialogues. Once this part is done, the Union Peace Conference
can be held.
An agreement
formed
The recently
signed version of the NCA, which consists of seven sections and thirty-three
articles, has further strengthened the bond between the union government and
the ethnic armed organisations. The crux of the NCA is that political
differences will not be solved through military force, but with political
dialogue, which will emerge as the norm for resolving issues. The EAOs have
always been taking care of their respective regions’ development, and now the signatories
will be cooperating to develop education, healthcare, society, economy,
conserving the natural environment, conserving the language and culture of
Myanmar’s ethnicities, upholding the rule of law in each region and combating
drug trafficking throughout the country.
The State
Counsellor said yesterday that she heard news of the people from the NCA
signatories’ regions celebrated with joy upon hearing the news that the NCA was
being signed. “This is a prominent change they are showing that they will not
be treated as ruthless organisations anymore”, she said.
No longer astray
The Ministry of
Home Affairs issued an announcement on 11 February that the New Mon State Party
and Lahu Democratic Union have been removed from the list of unlawful
organisations and that they are not terrorist organisations either. At the
signing of the NCA, NMSP Chairperson Nai Htaw Mon promised that he will do his
best to build a united federal state with both the signatories and
non-signatories of the NCA.
Standing invitation
The State
Counsellor has said that there is no one right way of devising a federal
system. It depends on the environment, history and needs of the country and its
people. She said everyone in the country needs to discuss and plan together for
the shared future. She said the country needs to be united in spirit, for only
a united people can build a federal country, and to do that we need to build
trust and understanding amongst ourselves first. “Which is why I heartily
welcome and encourage the remaining ethnic armed groups to come join us in
political dialogue and discussions,” she said.
In conclusion,
the NCA is a step forward in achieving lasting peace, and our door is always
open for our ethnic brothers and sisters who have yet to sign the NCA.
Translate by
Win Ko Ko Aung
and Zaw Htet Oo
By Shin Min
Ref; The Global
New Light of Myanmar
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