Holding NCA signing in Nay Pyi Taw

February 9, 2018

THIS news report would bring delight not only to the people of Mon and Lahu but also to the entire people of Myanmar. The signing ceremony will be the first of its kind for the incumbent government and non-signatories are also invited to come forward and participate in the peace process.

The New Mon State Party and the Lahu Democratic Union will sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)in the ceremony highly valued and decorated under the government sponsorship. Eight ethnic armed groups signed the NCA in October, 2015; the New Mon State Party and Lahu Democratic Union from five member groups of United Nationalities Federal Council will sign the NCA in Nay Pyi Taw on 13 January, 2018. In addition, the government has made an offer to the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) for discussions to sign the NCA. KNPP is one of the five member groups of the United Nationalities Council in which Arakan National Council (ANC) and Wa National Organisation are also included.

Achieving peace and stability What we really need now is to achieve peace and stability in the country. The Panglong Agreement was signed at Panglong, Shan State on 12 February, 1947. During the Conference in February, 1947 on the agenda was the united struggle for independence from Britain and the future of our country after independence as a unified republic.

 Unfortunately, many ethnic nationals disagreed with the Central Government and went underground. Frankly speaking , the Central Government and the ethnic armed groups in Myanmar have been virtually at war since independence from the British in 1948. That is why one of the four objectives of 71st Anniversary Union Day is to build a Federal Democratic Union through the Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong.

United we stand, divided we fall This phrase is often used to inspire unity and collaboration. After all, national unity is the first and foremost necessity of a peaceful and prosperous country. There are a lot of examples in the history of the world when due to lack of national unity, there have been internal and external dangers to the security and survival of countries. Two examples from Aesop’ fables are well known and we should put them into practice in our daily life.

The Four Oxen and the Lion A lion used to prowl about a field in which four oxen used to dwell.

Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came near they turned their tails to warn one anther so that whichever way he approached them, he was met by the horns of one of them.

At last however, they fell quarrelling among themselves, and each went off to pasture alone in a separate corner of the field. Then the lion attacked them one by one and made an end of all four.

In the other story, the farmer asked his quarrelsome sons to break a bundle of sticks. The sons can not break the bundle , but can easily break the sticks when they are separated. The farmer thus proves that unity is strength.

Therefore, the entire people of Myanmar should be reminded to grasp the opportunities created by the government for building a Federal Union through the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong. In doing so, the people should absorb painful lessons of the British rule and the Japanese occupation; the former fought with our country in 1824, 1852 and 1885, culminating in the loss of Myanmar sovereignty and independence and the latter invaded Myanmar in 1942 putting our country to be terribly down and out during the Second World War.

In conclusion, all ethnic armed groups should be officially invited to come up with their own proposals and ideas for discussions in order to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. Myanmar will have to redouble its efforts in keeping up with all the changes and challenges in the world for our country remained among the poorest in the ASEAN countries and ranked 114th among 155 countries surveyed, according to the World Happiness 2017.

By Arakan Sein

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar