Keeping firm in the quest for peace

With the commencement of the third session of the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw, the ray of hope for total peace in our country has started to shine, but to grasp this opportunity depends on all the leaders at the conference.

The peace-making process, which began from the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), could reduce armed conflicts. The NCA opens the door for political dialogue, which has never happened in the past.

Besides, we witnessed the signing of agreements during political dialogues, as part of the Union Agreement.

However, those who actively took part at the start of the peace-making process have not yet returned under the umbrella of the NCA. And those who signed a bilateral agreement with the government and avoided conflicts have not yet joined the NCA.

Therefore, the Union Government has opened the door of peace for every one and is making efforts to find a solution at the negotiation table.

In fact, the NCA can be considered a converging point of all forces and the beginning point for marching towards our goal of establishing a federal democratic country.

We took the first step by signing part-1 of the Union Agreement at the second session of the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong.

Now, at the third session of the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong, we are discussing the signing of the second part on the last day of the conference.

We had to wait a whole year to take the second step. Again, we will move forward, looking for the third step.

The most important thing for solving political problems through negotiations is to move forward without reducing our diligence, despite challenges and obstacles between steps.

Building a democracy and federal union demands strong commitments.

The door to dialogue with non-signatory ethnic armed organisations has been kept open and they are invited under the umbrella of the NCA.

To solve political problems through political means has been the demand of the ethnic armed groups for decades. Hence, everyone is gathering at the 21st Century Panglong to solve the political problem, which is the root cause of armed conflicts.

The next few days will witness intense discussions, an exchange of views, debates and difficult decisions. The challenges during the discussions would be the greatest ones we have had to face in the history of our country.

But, Union Spirit, with faith in our ability to forge an honourable future, our triumph will be a triumph not just for the conference or for our nation but for all the people of the world who long for peace, value harmony above dissension, friendship above enmity, and prosperity above devastation.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar