Signing of peace pacts signals peace in Myanmar

YANGON - Recent signing of peace agreements between the government and several ethnic armed groups is signaling prevalence of peace in Myanmar, official media said Sunday.

In the peace-making dialogue, parliament representatives of the government side, who understand the region and local people, and state-and central-level ministers were being formed as the representative groups for peace to hold talks with respective ethnic organizations.

Peace process has been underway at the state, central and parliament levels. Peace talks at the state level aims to seek initial agreement to ensure ceasefire and future peace talks, and the aims of the central level is to hold talks to solve problems on political basis. After cutting deals individually at the central level, all armed groups will be invited to the parliament for dialogues to reach common agreements.

The government expressed readiness to amend the constitution if necessary, the official media reported.

KNU, the biggest anti-government ethnic armed ground in Myanmar, and the government initiated peace agreements at state level in southeastern Kayin state's capital of Hpa-an on Thursday, which include a five-point preliminary peace pact and an 11-point principled agreement for further discussions at the central level.

The five-point preliminary peace pact was signed by State Minister of Security and Border Affairs Colonel Aung Lwin on behalf of the government, and Brigadier-General Saw Johnny representing the KNU side.

Another 11-point principled preliminary agreement was also signed by government's Rail Transportation Minister U Aung Min and Vice Chairman of the KNU Peace Making Group General Saw Mutu Say Pho for further discussions at central level.

The peace agreement at state level includes ceasefire by both sides, opening of liaison offices in 14 areas, allowing travel without arms to each other's territory.

Following the signing, President U Thein Sein ordered the government forces to stop attacks on the KNU while negotiation is underway.

The signing marked an end to armed conflicts of more than six decades U, and a major achievement by Thein Sein's new government, culminating peace effort by succeeding previous governments' since independence in 1948.  

Up to now, three ethnic armed groups have reached peace pacts with the central government, namely the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Shan State (North) Special Region-2 , the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) in Mongla Special Region-4 and Koloh Htoo Baw armed group in Kayin state in October and November 2011.  

The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-South) in Myanmar's northeastern Shan state and Chin National Front (CNF) in northwestern Chin state had reached preliminary peace agreements with the state governments over the past months.  

However, though talks at the central level between the government and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Ruili, a southwest Chinese town bordering Myanmar's Muse started since last November, a peace agreement still seems unlikely.  

Despite an earlier order by President U Thein Sein for government forces to stop offensive against KIA in Kachin state, intermittent fightings are still reportedly going on.

The KIA once returned to the government's legal fold in 1994 under an ceasefire agreement. However, it refused to be transformed into government's border guard force, which led to armed clashes with the government forces in the Kachin state in early June near a power project site of Tarpein.

The fighting escalated last August and intermittent battles since then have led to displacement of some 40,000 refugees.

President U Thein Sein made a peace offer to armed groups in the country last August, calling on anti-government ethnic armed groups to come for peace talks with governments at the region or state levels to end internal armed insurrection and make  peace in the country.

Since 1994, 17 major anti-government ethnic armed groups and 23 other small groups have made peace with the government, according to government sources.

Among 17 groups that have made peace with the government, 15 laid down their arms completely, while five were transformed into government's border guard forces and 15 into militia.

However, five other groups rejected the re-organizing plan, namely, Kachin's KIA, Wa's UWSA, Mongla's NDAA, Mon's NMSP and Kayin's KNU.