Shan Herald Agency for News |
- Karen-Shan alliance: The Lady too important as stakeholder to be a mediator
- Join statement: Karen National Union & Restoration Council of the Shan State
- Security officials: Still no information on North Korean hostages
- South Korean NGOs “need to be more specific” about kidnappers’ identity
- Lo Hsing Han (Luo Xinghan) Bio-data
| Karen-Shan alliance: The Lady too important as stakeholder to be a mediator Posted: 18 Jul 2013 04:22 AM PDT "The dialogue process in Burma is very complicated, with multiple stakeholders simultaneously involved. This is not conducive to use of a single mediator. To overcome this situation, the National Dialogue process designed by ethnic armed groups enables all stakeholders to address their concerns without the use of mediators. As the process matures, stakeholders can request to utilize mediators or facilitators for specific discussions. Normally, stakeholders do not act as mediators or facilitators," read the statement.  Dinner party hosted by Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) in Rangoon, 15 June 2013. Sitting: Harn Yawnghwe, U Soe Thein, Muto Saypoe, Yawdserk and Hkun Htun Oo. Standing: Aung Naing Oo, Hla Maung Shwe and Nyo Ohn Myint (Photo: Nyo Ohn Myint) The National Dialogue process, as mentioned in the statement, has been jointly developed by 18 UNFC and non-UNFC organizations since February 2012, and circulated among the groups for perusal in April this year. A copy of it was presented to the government supported Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) on 13 May by the KNU and the RCSS. Considering the act as a breach of trust and compounded by refusal by non-UNFC groups to have it represent them during the talks with the government, the UNFC pulled out of the joint work group, Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC), in a huff the following month. One of the peculiar things, according to the joint 3-day meeting which ended yesterday, was that Mahn Mahn a KNU top member had led the technical team to meet the MPC in preparation for a formal meeting between the UNFC and the government's chief negotiator U Aung Min. "He had not attended the framework for political dialogue workshops," said a participant. "Had he attended, he wouldn't have made the mistake of proposing mediators." Mahn Mahn's prominent role in the UNFC had also embarrassed the KNU leadership. The new setup that was elected last year has been increasingly playing a minor role in the alliance that has steadfastly refused to talk to the government except in a third country. "Please be patient," a Karen leading participant said. "We will settle our affairs in order before long." Both the WGEC and the UNFC have announced that each will be holding another Ethnic Nationalities Conference, a follow-up to last year's conference in Chiang Mai that had adopted a "6 point peace roadmap," the latter on 29-31 July and the former sometime in the middle of August. The remaining WGEC members say, in view of what is happening, a parallel Ethnic Nationalities Conference would only serve to confuse the people both at home and abroad. "We are not going to cut off our nose to spite our face," said a participant. An unconfirmed report however says the WGEC may be planning to hold a conference inside Burma. The UNFC meanwhile has issued an invitation on 16 July to several groups and groupings to participate in its Ethnic Conference on Pece and National Reconciliation. They include the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), the alliance of 1990 elections winning ethnic parties; and the Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF), the alliance of the 2010 elections winning ethnic parties. It aims "to strengthen unity among ethnic nationalities" and "lay down common agreement for peace and politics," among others. For more details of the statement, please visit http://www.english.panglong.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5504:join-statement-karen-national-union-a-restoration-council-of-the-shan-state&catid=115:opinions&Itemid=308 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Join statement: Karen National Union & Restoration Council of the Shan State Posted: 18 Jul 2013 04:23 AM PDT JOINT STATEMENT Karen National Union & Restoration Council of the Shan State 17 July, 2013 In response to the ethnic armed groups' proposal, the Government of Myanmar recently announced that it will invite ethnic armed groups to Naypyitaw to sign a nation-wide ceasefire. A nation-wide ceasefire is a significant milestone as it consolidates the ceasefires already signed as the foundation for the next phase of the peace process. Over the past year, the 18 ethnic armed groups have worked together to develop a framework for political dialogue with the Government. Armed groups have committed to this framework in order to ensure that the peace process does not stop with individual ceasefires. Groups continue to work together to ensure that the peace process moves forward. In the spirit of the words of the late Karen leader, Saw Ba U Gyi, "The destiny of Karen people will be decided by the Karen People," each armed group retains the legal authority and mandate to negotiate with the government on behalf of their people. The process of attaining a nation-wide ceasefire has involved direct negotiations between the individual armed groups and the Government, as these conflict partners must agree to end the armed conflict. In the political dialogue, additional stakeholders such as political parties, civil society, Parliament, the Burma Army and key leaders such as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi need to participate actively. Numerous sources have referred to the use of mediators or facilitators. The dialogue process in Burma is very complicated, with multiple stakeholders simultaneously involved. This is not conducive to use of a single mediator. To overcome this situation, the National Dialogue process designed by ethnic armed groups enables all stakeholders to address their concerns without the use of mediators. As the process matures, stakeholders can request to utilize mediators or facilitators for specific discussions. Normally, stakeholders do not act as mediators or facilitators. For the first time ever, all of Burma's stakeholders will sit together to discuss and design how to bring lasting and just peace to all of Burma's citizens. The process is based in unity and consensus, and all of the stakeholders will have to move together for the process to succeed. All of the armed groups respect the concerns of individual stakeholders, and the process will ensure that all stakeholders and Burma's concerned citizens have the opportunity to raise concerns throughout the process. Saw Mutu Sae Poe Sao Yawd Serk Chairman Chairman Karen National Union Restoration Council of the Shan State Contact: KNU – Mahn Nyein Maung, Tel: 090 7459 731 RCSS - Sai Lao Saeng, Tel: 086 9124 104 Joint Statement: 20130717 Joint Statement KNU RCSS (English).pdf | 20130717 Joint Statement KNU RCSS (Burmese).pdf | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security officials: Still no information on North Korean hostages Posted: 17 Jul 2013 09:05 PM PDT "The last we heard of North Koreans on their way to Thailand was 4 years earlier," a security officer who asked not to be named told SHAN. "They had mistaken the Burmese shore north of Tachilek for Thai territory and had embarked there. We told them to return to where they came from."  The Golden Triangle The Mekong, beginning from China and flowing past Burma and Thailand in the West and Laos and Cambodia in the West to Vietnam into the Pacific, has long been a means of travel and transportation for people in the region especially after its rapids were demolished by the Chinese a decade earlier. Apart from the Burma Army, there are Burma Army-run People's Militia Forces (PMFs) and Border Guard Force (BGF) 1008 and elements of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) active in the area. Burmese officials interviewed by SHAN also maintained that there are no poppy fields in areas northeast of Tachilek. SHAN's Shan Drug Watch researchers have reported existence of poppy fields northwest of Tachilek. "It's been a few years since we have received any reports of poppy fields in the northeast," said a researcher. The Burmese officer interviewed by SHAN wondered whether the 64 North Koreans as reported by AFP on 13 July were actually in the neighboring territory, meaning Laos. Burma, Laos and Thailand meet at what is now known as the Golden Triangle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Korean NGOs “need to be more specific” about kidnappers’ identity Posted: 17 Jul 2013 09:04 PM PDT "The sa-ya-pha (Military Affairs Security) and police officers all want to know who they are," said a businessman. "But no one so far has been able to provide the information. It really is up to the South Korean NGOs to reveal their identity." According to AFP report, 13 July, the North Koreans, 80% of them women, have been held northeast of Tachilek over the past 9 years. The rebels, said Pastor Kim Hee-Tae, were asking for $ 5,000 ransom for each of the hostages. He also told AFP women were forced to work at alcohol manufacturing or drug processing plants and some into prostitution. Male captives meanwhile were used to grow poppies. "For one thing, there is only one rebel group operating here," said a local militia officer. "That is the United Wa State Army (UWSA). It has been permitted to run farms along the Mekong by the government for a long time. "The Shan State Army (SSA) has not been active here for a long time," he added. "And since they have just concluded ceasefire with the government, they still don't have business concessions around here." Other groups active in the area are:
Both the SSA and UWSA have denied knowledge of the hostages. The Mekong, since the Chinese demolished its rapids a decade earlier, has been in use both for legal and illegal businesses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lo Hsing Han (Luo Xinghan) Bio-data Posted: 17 Jul 2013 09:02 PM PDT Lo Hsing Han (Luo Xinghan) Bio-data  Lo Hsing Han (Photo: Khin Maung Win/AP)
Family members say he was a great friend to the late Khun Sa (1934-2007), Lt-Gen Hso Ten, patron of Shan State Progress Party / Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) and the Shan people His funeral is on Wednesday, 17 July 2013 |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Shan Herald Agency for News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.