‘It is progress to disagree without hate’

April 24, 2017

A meeting to evaluate the peace process yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw was described as being “of great benefit”, with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, chairperson of the national reconciliation and peace centre, members of the Tatmadaw and ethnic leaders assembled in a hotel conference room to discuss the implementation of a nationwide cease-fire agreement.

The gathering at the Thingaha Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw was significant, one general noted, because of the long, deliberate road toward peace that Myanmar has endured over the years and through different administrations.

“The Coordination Meeting on Joint Implementation of Nationwide Cease-fire Agreement held today is the first-ever meeting in the reign of the incumbent government”, said Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services and Commander-in-Chief of the Army. “In the previous government’s tenure there were four meetings held. It is the meeting in consequence of the Nationwide Cease-fire Agreement held on October 15, 2016. Till now, 10 per cent of the national populace is still in the warring areas. Likewise, 40 per cent is still in the area of conflicts. Only 70 per cent are enjoying the fruits of peace just in a short period of time, as a consequence of the NCA. It is necessary to include 10 per cent and 20 per cent into 70 per cent or to implement for achieving nationwide peace to the full. And we need to be aware concerning to which extent the part of implementation of the facts included in NCA is very valuable for us. We have disclosed that mutual trust and respect between one group and another, negotiation, cooperation and Panglong spirit are of great importance for 21st Century, in performing the tasks for the peace process.

Hence, we need to carry this out to gain success as described in the NCA”.

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her opening address, noted that the successful and necessary national-level meetings held by the Karen National Union (KNU), a signatory to the NCA.

“This is the first-ever held Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting on the NCA”, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said. “Firstly, I want to congratulate Saw Mutu Say Poe. We were greatly rejoiced for our KNU to have successfully held the nationwide meetings. The major objective of such peace meetings is to achieve the eternal peace in our country. In any parts of discussions or any viewpoints, we hope that we will be always with the ideas as to how successfully, smoothly and effectively we will perform. Only if all participate in the peace process, can the peace be achieved.”

Daw Aung Sun Suu Kyi went on to say that the discussions have been made in a respectful manner, without rancor, which gave her great hope for success of the Panglong meeting to be held next month.

“Groups which were not at the round-table talks in the past have come to the round-table talks, sitting together,” she said. “This has shown that some ideas, matters and opinions reached the state all can accept. We hope that we all, that is, those present at the meeting, will approach with the ideas as to how they can support the peace process, how they support for the development, and how they will perform for the success.”

Present at the meeting were Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe, Chairman of Peace Commission Dr Tin Myo Win, Union Attorney General U Tun Tun Oo, deputy ministers, Lt-General Yar Pyae, Lt-General Min Naung, Lt-General Tin Maung Win, Chairman of Karen National Union and leader of the peace-process steering team Saw Mutu Say Poe and members—Dr Naw Kapaw Htoo, Sai La, Khaing Soe Naing Aung, Khun Okkar, Puzin Kyone, U Than Khe, Saw Mu Shae and responsible officials.

Among the issues to be discussed were a code of conduct that would be followed by armed ethic groups as well as the Tatmadaw, a important step in the ongoing peace process.

“As for the Tatmadaw, there have been six principles for the peace laid down, such as the code of conduct and principles to be kept on the army”, said Vice-Senior General Soe Win. “Provided that armed groups will perform by strictly abiding by the facts concerning their respective opinions, groups which did not sign yet will be capable of joining the group that had signed the agreement. If so, we will be able to reach the state of gaining the eternal peace as expected by the whole populace, as soon as possible.”

Saw Mutu Say Poe, the chairman of the Karen National Union and leader of the peace process steering team, said an ongoing dialogue during which negotiation and compromise might take place was essential for moving forward.

“According to the nature of the peace process, without dialogue, it will be ordinary political negotiation, producing no results. So, we must try our best for unnecessary matters not to come into existence. And we should not forget that there are different things among our human societies. On the other hand, it is necessary to have an official political platform for us to negotiate our differences among us. We are required to find solutions from this joint implementation coordination meeting, without holding their respective opinions dogmatically. Instead, it needs to find out common principles. In brief, if we measure NCA with a measurement unit, all have been different in small amounts between one and another. If the difference goes uncorrected right now, the difference will be bigger as time goes past. So, it must be reassessed deeply. Hence, we urge to reassess the implementation of NCA and bilateral agreement. We demand to reassess whether there are still differences in the bilateral agreement and we want to submit to the meeting for JICM to lay down instructive decisions.”

At the meeting, discussions were held on the following:

•    The date to hold the UPC—21st Century Panglong 2nd Conference

•    Finding out all-acceptable basic principles in the UPC—21st Century Panglong 2nd Conference

•    Groups that cannot hold national-level political dialogues,

•    Terms of Reference matter submitted by Joint Monitoring Committee

•    Amendment of authorities of JMC in the working instructions of joint monitoring committee on ceasefire

•    Designation of ceasefire zones and areas

•    Negotiation and cooperation after submitting to JCB concerning needs for the development of national ethnic people

•    Matter for national ethnic armed groups to take part in peace process more than ever.

•    Matters on formation of JMC-S in Chin State and

•    Matters on remaining agreements still to be carried out among the agreements included Bilateral Agreement.

In conclusion, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi declared the meeting a qualified success because there were disagreements discussed without anger.

“I regard that the meeting is of great benefit, because I assume that progress has been made.

There had been disagreements among us. We regard that it is a success to some extent, for us to be able to openly say our disagreements. It is progress to reach the stage of presenting our disagreements without any quarrel and hate. I think this is one of the developments of our trust. A person does not want to disclose what is conceived in his mind to another whom he does not believe. He may feel doubt whether it will cause a problem if he discloses. There are many things of difference in our discussion.

I noticed that people replied to something they cannot accept, politely, without disputes. I think this opens the road to the stage of agreement. This is the changing of the spirit that I must have, what I want, I assume. It is a success that we can discuss the disagreements in this meeting. We have decided to try our best to gain more success by seeing this success. Here I conclude my speech by saying my hope that we will gain much development for the peace we all hope for, depending upon more trust and understanding in the 2nd Panglong Conference”.

According to the agreement of the JICM, Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong 2nd meeting will be held on 24 May.

Myanmar News Agency (Unofficial Translation)

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar