Joint Monitoring Committee makes 15 decisions on second day meeting

The Joint Monitoring Committees (JMCs) on Ceasefire met for the second day of their second general meeting in the Lotte Hotel in Yangon yesterday morning.

The meeting of the JMCs was held for two days on 8 and 9 May and was attended by 97 out of 126 committee members of various levels of JMCs. Strengths, weaknesses and challenges of ceasefire works as well as ways of overcoming these were discussed in the meeting, said Joint Monitoring Committee at Union Level (JMC-U) secretary (1) Dr. Shwe Kha.

During the two-day meeting, increasing the formation of Joint Monitoring Committee Local-level (JMC-L), formation of Local Civilians Monitoring (LCM) groups, strengthening the contact between JMC member armed organisations, smoother running of office works as well as detailed status, successes and difficulties faced by all levels of JMCs were discussed.

In addition to this, future works such as JMC member armed organisations building trust and getting to know each other, informing the public of actions taken for complaints, conducting capacity building courses for JMC members and members of technical assistance office of the JMCs were also discussed in the meeting. Fifteen decisions and two records were made.

Yesterday’s meeting was attended by chairmen and members of JMC-U, Joint Monitoring Committee at Region and State Levels (JMC-S), JMC-L and members of technical assistance offices of the JMCs, “In addition to strengths and weaknesses, challenges were also discussed in the two-day meeting. Overcoming the challenges of the difficulties in communication among JMC-S and JMC-L were discussed. Another matter discussed was forming ward and village level LCMs and conducting courses to raise the capacities of technical assistance offices members,” said JMC-U secretary (2) Col. Wunna Aung.

Responding to questions raised by the media on the two-day meeting, JMC-U Secretary (1) Dr. Shwe Kha said, “Local level commanders were told to conduct meetings to built understanding, trust and becoming familiar among each other to avoid (armed) conflicts. Furthermore, discussion on holding meetings involving senior commanders and groups from the headquarters was also discussed. It was decided not to hold meetings and discussion only between local level commanders, but also top level commanders as well.”

On the matter of arranging meetings for local level commanders, JMC-U secretary (2) Col. Wunna Aung said, “The Tatmadaw holds a joint discussion because this is a joint committee. The aim is for the local level commander to get to know each other and to make it easier for them to build trust. If they don’t know each other, trust can’t be built. That is why it was decided for local level commanders to meet under the arrangement of JMC-S after each JMC-S meeting was conducted.”

He added that conducting courses to raise capabilities is one of the works of the JMC. Courses for JMCs and courses on NCA, COC and TOR for members of armed organisations will be conducted, said Col. Wunna Aung in reply to questions raised by the media.

The JMC is forming JMC-S in Shan, Kayin, Bago, Mon and Taninthayi and JMC-L in Langkho and Hpapun, it is learnt. JMCs had received 411 complaints, out of which some 334 were resolved.

Members of the media were not permitted to enter the meeting room during the second day meeting.

Ye Khaung Nyunt

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar