Efforts for peace, stability, socio-economic development in Rakhine State reviewed

WORKSHOP on Review of the Implementation of the Recommendations on Rakhine State was held in Yangon yesterday as part of efforts for peace and stability and for speeding up socio economy in the state.

It was attended by U Kyaw Tint Swe, Union Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor, Union Minister for Information Dr. Pe Myint, Union Minister for Education Dr. Myo Thein Gyi, Union Ministers for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Thaung Tun, Chairman of the Committee for Implementation of Recommendations on Rakhine State and Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye, Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin, Chief Minister of Rakhine State U Nyi Pu, Chairman of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission U Win Mra, deputy ministers, directors-general, representatives of Hluttaw, members of the Maungtaw Investigation Commission, members of the Advisory Commission for Rakhine State, members of the committee for implementation the recommendations on Rakhine State and members of the advisory board, representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), diplomat and representatives of the UN agencies and international organizations.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye said the Union Government , since its swearing into office in 2016, it is committed to bringing peace and prosperity to Rakhine State. The Union Government requested Mr. Annan to take lead on this important initiative to from a commission to analyze the root causes of earlier social instability in Rakhine and recommend the path forward.

The recommendations of the Annan commission focused on overcoming the current humanitarian crisis, security crisis and human right crisis; as well as preventing such future crises, he said.

The Union Government has now passed a year and half of implementing these recommendations. “ The actual status of the implementation could have progressed a lot more if we did not have the August 2017 incidences and the massive consequences aftermath; and it we were also not burdened by additional responses to that crisis in the late part of 2017 that hindered the implementation in the early days,” said the Union Minister.

“Having said that, we are glad that we were able to put ourselves back on track in 2018. And as you all know, we now have a new but different security issue in Northern Rakhine, which imposes another hindrance to the implementation again. But I’m sure we will be able to overcome this again as we did in 2018,” said Dr. Win Myat Aye.

“I will be honest here to say that the implementation of these recommendations is not a smooth-sailing progress. At the policy level, our cabinet is highly committed, and we are driving these initiatives really hard. However, the actual implementation is harder, he said.

Many of the issues in Rakhine State stem from decades-long lack of development and trust. And it was hard to bring all the right stakeholders together, and to have consensus on certain matters are more difficult than one would expect,” said Union Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye.

“In light of both the historical context as well as the current situation in Rakhine State, I believe everyone here would agree that durable peace and security is the first the most important factor for achieving anything in Rakhine,” said the Union Minister, adding that, “such can only achieve when there is social acceptance and cohesion.

Therefore, our priority is to create a conductive environment for social acceptance and cohesion.”

Rule of Law is a fundamental necessity in Rakhine State

He also stressed the importance of the rule of law in Rakhine State.

“Rule of law is a fundamental necessity whether it is about dealing with the current security crisis, or repatriating the displaced communities to their places, or preventing any future incidences,” said the Union Minister.

He invited domestic or international partners who intend to work with the Union Government to achieve peace and stability in accordance with the international best practices and norms as the country is continuously trying to promote the rule of law in Rakhine State.

Roads, Electrification: significant achievements in Rakhine State over past two years

He continued to say that the Union Government was seeing some positive improvements in such regard, including in Rakhine State.

The Union minister said one significant example is the improvement of infrastructure such as roads, telecommunications and electricity in Rakhine State over the past two years. However, the country still have a long way to go, he added.

The socio-economic development was a fundamental need to restore normalcy and improve the situation in Rakhine State, and it is also a critical step in building a democratic federal Union, said Dr. Win Myat Aye.

IDP Camps

One of the recommendations touched base on the closure of IDP camps in Rakhine State. To reflect on what have been done as far, this work started before the submission of the final report by the Annan commission, he said.

Three camps were closed right after the interim report was submitted. One more camp was closed in2018 and one is currently in the final stages of closure. In 2018, we drafted a national strategy for closures of IDP camps in close consultation with national and international experts, which will be used as guiding document for shutting down the IDP camps not just in Rakhine but also in other parts of the country.

National Verification, the first step to claim nationality

Union Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye also underscored the important process of National Verification saying that as in any sovereign country across the world, there will be a due process to claim nationality, Myanmar is no exception. He called the enrollment to national verification process as the first step in citizenship process, and he also welcomed constructive suggestions and engagement for improving the process.

Afterwards, Rt. Hon. Lord Darzi of Denham, member of the Advisory Board of the Committee for Implementation of the Recommendations on Rakhine State, delivered a key-note speech urging the international communities to cooperate in implementing the recommendations as the Rakhine issue is the long standing issue and the challenges in Rakhine State needs to be resolved through negotiations.

Afterwards, sector-wise discussion was followed and Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe presided over the discussion on review of the implementation on recommendations on Rakhine State. Director-General Dr. Ko Ko Naing, Disaster Management Departments acted as the speaker and Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Chairman U Win Mra as the discussant in the discussion.

In the afternoon, the review on the role of the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance and Resettlement and Development in Rakhine State- (UEHRD) was held, and Union Minister U Kyaw Tin presided over the discussion. Chief Coordinator of the UEHRD Dr. Aung Tun Thet and Deputy Minister for Commerce U Aung Htoo participated in the discussion.

In the discussion on reviewing the role of AHA Centre and ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team-ERAT, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U Myint Thu presided over it and U Tun Myat, member of the Advisory Board for the Committee for Implementation of the Recommendations on Rakhine State, Mr. Arnel Capili, Deputy Executive Director of the AHA Centre took part in the discussion and U Hla Myint, member of the Advisory Board, took part in the discussion.

MNA
(Translated by TTN)
PHOTO – MNA

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar