Every citizen has duty to contribute to achieving peace, ending armed conflicts

 We all understand fully well that peace is critical to the country’s future, and that peace and development are inseparable. Peace is not just for an individual, for an organization or for an ethnic group, but for the whole Union. Peace is for the security and safety of all Union citizens and ethnic races which have been living in the country through thick and thin.

But we all need to think deeply on why our country is unable to achieve peace and what we should do to achieve peace. Different ways are needed to persuade all to participate in the peace process.

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 twists and turns in the peace process.

Myanmar has faced armed conflicts for nearly 70 years and made efforts to bring peace to the country in successive eras.

While taking lessons from the failures, we must write a new chapter of the history of our era with collective efforts.

Believing that we can achieve peace only through shared thought and collective strength, everyone in the country needs to discuss and plan together for the shared future and needs to be united to face the challenges of the rest of the world. Therefore, it is a meaningful wish for everyone to wonder what role they can contribute to this end. To achieve this peace, we must work hard with strong desire, with relentless efforts, with strong spirit and with the wisdom to distinguish right from wrong. Even though everyone desires peace and wishes for the fighting to end, a lack of trust from both sides is the reason why some ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have not signed the NCA yet. If a person has belief and trusts in themselves, then they will be able to trust other people. If a person believes that they can achieve peace for their community through non-violent means, then they will be willing to take risks to achieve that goal. For our citizens, today is the time to think about what duties and responsibilities they need to take, and not just be interested in the benefits they may receive.

To prevent our country from being deprived of democracy and human rights and become a place where people are unhappy due to lack of peace, we must work hard with the above four mindsets.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar