The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- ANP Demands Cancellation of Kofi Annan-Led Arakan State Commission
- UNFC: We Will Join the Union Peace Conference
- Than Zaw Oo: ‘A Natural Disaster Can’t Devalue Bagan’s Heritage’
- Bagan After the Quake: Concerns Over Manhandling of Debris
- Myanmar Citizens Bank Announces Share Prices on Yangon Stock Exchange
- USDP Eyes 2020 Presidency
- Meet the New Leaders of the Opposition
- Chinese Envoy Encourages UWSA, Mongla Group to Participate in Peace Conference
| ANP Demands Cancellation of Kofi Annan-Led Arakan State Commission Posted: 25 Aug 2016 09:02 AM PDT  Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will chair a nine-member advisory commission to find solutions to the unrest in Arakan State. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The Arakan National Party (ANP) has demanded that the government cancel the new Arakan State Advisory Commission formed on Wednesday, of which former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will serve as the chairman. The nine-member team includes three international representatives, including Kofi Annan, and six from Burma—including two Buddhist Arakanese members, two Rangoon-based Muslim members and two government representatives. In a letter to the government, the ANP expressed objection to the three non-Burmese members selected to serve on the commission, stating that they would not be able to understand the background of and the current situation on the ground in Arakan State. The region saw significant violence in 2012 and 2013, largely affecting the stateless Muslim Rohingya community and displacing 140,000 civilians. The ANP does not recognize the self-identifying Rohingya minority as belonging to Arakan State, instead describing them as "Bengali" migrants from neighboring Bangladesh. The ANP announcement stated that the formation of the new commission would likely harm the rights of indigenous people—a reference to the Buddhist Arakanese—and national sovereignty. The problems of the state, said the ANP, is a matter of "internal affairs" which previous governments have failed to resolve in line with current laws. Muslim commission member Al Haj U Aye Lwin, founder of the interfaith group Religions for Peace, told The Irrawaddy that he finds the involvement of international committee members acceptable and does not believe that the new commission will interfere with Burma's sovereignty, as the ANP alleged. The work of the committee, he explained, is to make recommendations to the government based on their findings, rather than to take action themselves. The Burmese government, U Aye Lwin said, needs to take into account the international community's perspective, because the challenges facing Arakan State have grown beyond those of a domestic issue and have become the focus of global concern. "So many government experts have tried several times to explain to the international community what is happening. However, they haven't solved the problem yet. That's why the government seeks a third party's perspective," he said. "We will explain [this situation] to the rest of the world." Some members of Burma's Muslim community also reportedly expressed concern over rumors that the advisory commission had not two, but three Arakanese Buddhist representatives, but U Aye Lwin said that this did not come as a surprise. "We expected this kind of complaint before the formation," he said, referring to worries from both Buddhist and Muslim communities regarding the make-up of the commission. "Everybody can share their own opinion in a democratic society. They have the right to criticize. It doesn't matter." The Buddhist Arakanese members of the commission include U Win Mra, who chairs Burma's National Human Rights Commission, and Daw Saw Khin Tint, who chairs the Arakan Literature and Cultural Association and is the vice-chair of the Arakan Women's Association. In addition to Al Haj U Aye Lwin, U Khin Maung Lay, a member of the National Human Rights Commission, will be serving on the commission as a Muslim representative. The Burmese government's delegation includes two doctors: Thar Hla Shwe, president of Burma's Red Cross Society, and Mya Thida, President of the Obstetrical and Gynecological Society of Burma. There are no Rohingya members on the commission. U Aye Lwin added that the three international members come from high profile backgrounds, and are believed to be Christian—rather than Buddhist or Muslim. In addition to Kofi Annan, the non-Burmese members are Ghassan Salamé, a scholar from Lebanon and once-advisor to Mr. Annan, and Laetitia van den Assum, a diplomat from the Netherlands and a UN advisor. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) also released a statement of its own about the advisory commission on Thursday, pointing out that the committee's "endeavors" were "humanitarian" and "ignore the state security issue" in the region. According to a government announcement, within the next month there will be a signing ceremony between the Kofi Annan Foundation and the Burmese government, initiating the commission's work. The post ANP Demands Cancellation of Kofi Annan-Led Arakan State Commission appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| UNFC: We Will Join the Union Peace Conference Posted: 25 Aug 2016 07:41 AM PDT  Gen N'Ban La, of the Kachin Independence Organization and chairman of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), addresses the UNFC on Thursday at an emergency meeting called by the ethnic armed group coalition to decide whether their representatives would attend Burma's upcoming Union Peace Conference. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — After an emergency meeting in Thailand, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)—an ethnic armed alliance—has confirmed that they will attend Burma's Union Peace Conference, scheduled to commence on Aug. 31. Senior leaders—representing each of the ethnic armed groups that are members of UNFC—attended the meeting, which began on Wednesday and lasted one-and-a-half days. "We will join the 21st Century Panglong [conference]…as it is just the grand opening, and the first session,” said Tun Zaw, a UNFC secretary, referring to the Union Peace Conference by its other commonly used name. The UNFC delegation met with the government's negotiation team in Rangoon from Aug. 20-22 and exchanged views on the proposed political dialogue framework. The Union Peace and Dialogue Joint Committee has said that in the first session of conference no decisions will be made, but the estimated 750 conference attendants will be allowed to discuss the policy statement and relevant issues for ten minutes each. Continued negotiations will be held in subsequent sessions every six months. The UNFC’s seven-member team—including Gen Sai Htoo of the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and Gen Gun Maw of the Kachin Independence Organization—will be part of the Union Peace Conference's convening joint committee. Tun Zaw said his coalition's members will "fully participate in each process" regarding the conference, as they have a level of "ownership" in the proceedings. Decisions about who would attend the conference from among the UNFC's member groups were made at the emergency meeting on Thursday, he added, explaining that each organization can send up to 12 representatives for the five-day event. The peace conference will host around 1,600 attendees on its opening day, while 750 standby attendees will discuss issues of politics, security, economics, land, the environment and social concerns. Talks about three additional armed organizations in active conflict with the Burma Army—the Arakan Army, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army—were off the agenda in the UNFC's recent meeting, Tun Zaw said, adding that this was due to the fact that the government had been negotiating with these groups directly. On Wednesday in Naypyidaw, the eight armed groups that acted as signatories to the 2015 nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) under the previous government met with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the morning—a second meeting called for by the signatories' Peace Process Steering Team. Later that afternoon, the first Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) was held regarding the ceasefire. Those present at the JICM discussion expressed support for a five-way joint chairmanship at the Union Peace Conference—a facilitation strategy also supported by the Burma Army delegation—in which the chairmanship is shared between representatives from the government, Parliament, political parties, ethnic armed groups, and the Burma Army. Debate on the number groups sharing the chairmanship was one of the issues unresolved between the ethnic armed groups and the government during the recent meeting in Rangoon. NCA non-signatory ethnic armed groups had originally proposed a tripartite chairmanship, shared by the government, political parties, and ethnic armed groups, on the basis that if there were five delegations in the role, three would be on the side of the government—the government itself, the Parliament and the army—thereby weakening the ethnic position in negotiations. Tun Zaw said that making such a decision regarding chairmanship would be premature. Rather, he said, it is an issue to be discussed at the upcoming conference convening joint committee meeting in Naypyidaw, from Aug. 27-29. The post UNFC: We Will Join the Union Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Than Zaw Oo: ‘A Natural Disaster Can’t Devalue Bagan’s Heritage’ Posted: 25 Aug 2016 06:01 AM PDT  Sulamani Temple, one of the nearly 200 damaged temples in Bagan affected by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy) A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Burma at 5:04 p.m. on Wednesday. Centered about 15 miles west of Chauk, it damaged 187 temples in the ancient capital Bagan, a town north of the epicenter. The Irrawaddy spoke to Than Zaw Oo, director of Burma's branch of the World Heritage Site Committee, about the government's restoration plan. Please tell me about the condition and severity of the damage in Bagan following the earthquake tremors. Because temples in Bagan experienced a major quake in 1975, some damages were to temple restorations from after that time. But, these damages could also have impacted the original structures, as these restorations were attached to the originals. According to recent statements from the government, we are aware that respective teams are heading to the affected areas in Bagan. What are the plans regarding the damage? The first thing we have to do is an assessment. We have a GIS [Geographic Information System] team in Bagan and other GIS teams from across the country are heading to Bagan to [conduct] inventory and assess the damage to the temple. Also, security becomes important for damaged temples. We have concerns about precious objects that are enshrined inside. It's possible that we should leave some of the damaged areas as they are for the time being, and restore them later with the help of archaeology experts. Currently, our branch in Bagan is taking care of security and collecting data on the damage. After that, we will assess which temples suffered the most severe damage and which repairs should be prioritized. Depending on the assessment, the next step would be to protect the temples from rain by covering them. This is urgent. We can't talk about it and waste time. We must do it right away. Only once the temples are protected from the rain can we continue doing other work. Will this damage have an impact on Bagan's bid to become a UNESCO world heritage site? A natural disaster will not impact Bagan's bid to become a UNESCO world heritage site. It [the disaster] didn't happen from human impact, [but] natural causes. A natural disaster can't devalue Bagan's heritage. If it won't devalue the heritage, could it enhance it since some inappropriate restorations cited by UNESCO were destroyed in the quake? Our country has a Buddhist majority. The community is very generous and has over-repaired Bagan's ancient temples. We explained this to conservation organizations and they understood. We showed them evidence of the renovations that were done after the 10th century. But in recent years, we have let them know our methods for restoring temples with regard to tradition and ancient technology. We let them check our restoration work and request their guidance as well. As far as I understand—and according to my experience—the damage is not going to interrupt Bagan's bid to become a world heritage site. You mentioned that most damage could have been to renovations carried out after 1975. Can you identify specifically when this work was done? Some people say that these improper renovations were carried out under the management of U Khin Nyunt, the former Chief of Intelligence and Prime Minister. I am on the way to Bagan now and have yet to check the damage. But, we have already confessed our past conservation errors, which were partly motivated by the generosity of our community. I don't want to point a finger at anyone, anymore, regarding these faults. We are all to blame. Please comment further on the current situation in Bagan. We have disaster risk management and preparedness in conservation plans for Bagan's temples. But as we are aware, Burma ranks second in the 'most at risk' countries for natural disasters in the world and is in a very fragile situation. This is a fact that we can't deny. We also have budget allocations for renovations in the case of natural disasters. But currently, the damage is massive and we will only understand how severe it is in about one week to 10 days. The first priority is to collect data about the damage and protect the affected temples from rain. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. The post Than Zaw Oo: 'A Natural Disaster Can't Devalue Bagan's Heritage' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Bagan After the Quake: Concerns Over Manhandling of Debris Posted: 25 Aug 2016 05:41 AM PDT  Damage to the entrance gate of Bagan's Dhammayangyi temple, seen on Thursday, after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Burma on Wednesday evening. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — A team from Unesco, the United Nations' cultural agency, is traveling to Bagan to conduct a comprehensive review of damage to historical pagodas and temples after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Burma on Wednesday evening. Members of the team have expressed concern that premature efforts from local authorities to clear debris may disturb the archaeological record, result in losses to historical artifacts, and complicate eventual restoration efforts. On Thursday morning, a company of Burma Army soldiers spotted cleaning up the debris at damaged temples caused alarm among locals. A video of them sweeping rubble at one temple has since spread over social media, prompting a mixed response. "If they clean up the debris like that, how will the experts get reliable data?" said Min Naing Aung, a member of a Bagan appreciation group, who said he was aware of the imminent arrival of the Unesco team. "We are also worried that ancient artifacts might get stolen or lost because of unsystematic cleaning and restoration, without anyone taking responsibility," he said. The earthquake struck at 5:04 p.m. on Thursday, 25 kilometers west of Chauk in Magwe Division, at a depth of 84 kilometers. It was felt across Burma, and in neighboring countries. The Bagan Archaeological Department has cited damage to 187 pagodas and temples across the Bagan plain, including iconic favorites Sulamani, Ananda, Htilominlo, Myazedi, Shwesandaw, Lawkananda and Dhamma Yazaka, and the murals at Ananda Oakkyaung. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has sent notice to officials in the Bagan archaeological zone not to "rush" the restoration of the damaged pagodas, and to seek technical assistance from Unesco. The temples of Bagan, dating from between the 9th and 13th centuries—when the Kingdom of Pagan ruled over much of lowland Burma—are considered Burma's biggest tourist draw, although the ancient capital has yet to be granted World Heritage Site status, allegedly on account of sub-standard, inauthentic restoration efforts under previous governments. Local Unesco officers traveling to the site said the UN agency would need the full collaboration of authorities, including from the government's archaeological department, to maintain the historical value of the damaged temples and pagodas. "We've already requested the department of archaeology to ensure that affected temples remain un-touched till the damage has been systematically documented," said Ohnmar Myo, a Unesco project coordinator. She said that a thorough survey would support future restoration work and aid Bagan's candidacy as a Unesco World Heritage Site. "We are highly concerned that no one touch or move away debris, because every single piece of these ancient temples has high historical and cultural value, which needs to be recorded," she said. "In addition, we would like for authorities in Bagan to ensure that no one goes near damaged temples, to prevent possible injuries and further damage," she added. The director of the Bagan Archaeological Department Aung Aung Kyaw said the department had "already requested the army to halt cleaning till we get the green light [to continue] from the experts." "We are also planning to restrict visitors to these [damaged] temples," director Aung Aung Kyaw said. On top of the survey, Unesco has said it would provide financial and technical assistance—in line with "international standards"—for the restoration of affected structures in Bagan. "We very much hope there will be no pressure to 'glitter up' or overly renovate these damaged temples, as happened under previous governments, which would ruin their cultural value," said Ohnmar Myo of Unesco. According to the Ministry of Information, outside Bagan, 33 other historic temples and pagodas were damaged across Burma, in Meiktila, Myingyan, Yamaethin, Taungtha, Salae, Sagaing and Mrauk-U. In Chauk of Magwe Division, the closest town to the earthquake's epicenter, two buildings developed cracks, and a portico of the township police station collapsed—but more serious damage has not been reported, nor any casualties. "I was standing and almost fell down as the earthquake hit the town with a roaring sound. It shook for three to five minutes and the whole town filled with shouts, cries and sirens from fire engines," said Chauk resident Htoo Win. "Everyone rushed outside of the buildings and some old people even vomited because of dizziness. I'm glad that most of the buildings and people are safe but we are still afraid of aftershocks," he added. In Pakokku of Magwe Division, a man died and another was injured after the roof of a tobacco factory collapsed. In Yenangyaung, also in Magwe Division, two girls, seven and 15 years old, died as a toilet in the compound of a pagoda collapsed in on them, according to locals. In Bagan, which sits in Mandalay Division near the border with Magwe Division, an Italian tourist watching the sunset from a temple fell and injured herself due to the quake, and was sent to Mandalay General Hospital, according to the Ministry of Information. The post Bagan After the Quake: Concerns Over Manhandling of Debris appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Myanmar Citizens Bank Announces Share Prices on Yangon Stock Exchange Posted: 25 Aug 2016 04:16 AM PDT  People wait at the Yangon Stock Exchange in Rangoon on March 25, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Myanmar Citizens Bank's (MCB) basic share prices were announced on Thursday, one day ahead of its August 26 start date for trading on the Yangon Stock Exchange (YSX). The YSX announced on Thursday that the base price for MCB shares would be 6,800 kyats (US$5.60) with an upper limit of 7,800 kyats and a lower limit of 5,800 kyats. Thet Tun Oo, senior manager of the YSX told the Irrawaddy that a third party consultant typically suggests the price range, and that it was calculated based on MCB's recent activities. According to the YSX, investors may place a "limit order" on shares at any price between the upper and lower limit prices, or a "market order" in which the purchase or sale of stock is carried out as quickly as possible, with price acting as a secondary concern. "MCB's shares can be traded. If shareholders want to trade, the shares will be ready to buy," Thet Tun Oo said. The MCB has recently sold 10.7 million shares, according to the YSX. The bank has been listed since December, when the YSX opened. MCB's authorized share capital is now 75 billion kyats ($63 million), with 52 billion kyats ($43.7 million) in paid-up capital. According to MCB's website, just over 5 billion kyats are from the Ministry of Commerce and nearly 47 billion kyats are from the public. There are five listed companies on the YSX—First Myanmar Investment (FMI), Myanmar Citizens Bank, Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings Public Limited (MTSH), First Private Bank and Great Hor Kham. Of these, First Private Bank and Great Hor Kham have not yet begun trading. YSX's market capitalization is now well over 630 billion kyats (over $519 million), according to its website. The post Myanmar Citizens Bank Announces Share Prices on Yangon Stock Exchange appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Posted: 25 Aug 2016 02:55 AM PDT  USDP press conference in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Photo: Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy) Burma's main opposition party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), has pinned its hopes on new leader Than Htay securing Burma's top job in the 2020 election. At a press conference on Wednesday, USDP spokesperson Khin Yi boasted that the new chairman was a versatile man and the right person to lead and reform the former ruling party. Than Htay replaced former President Thein Sein as the party chairman on Tuesday, the second day of the party convention, which was held from August 22-24 and saw newly elected central leadership. "Since he [Than Htay] is at the helm of the party, he will get most of the benefits and entitlements from the party," said Khin Yi, referring to Burma's presidency. However, there is a talk among USDP members in Naypyidaw that former Snr-Gen Than Shwe, the founder and patron of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA)—which transformed itself into the USDP ahead of the 2010 election—told the party that he wanted to see new leadership, which led to the reshuffle. The Irrawaddy could not independently confirm that claim. Than Htay told reporters that he is willing to do what is best for the political, social, economic and security affairs of the country, if he can form the future government. "Politics is something only those who have a philanthropic spirit can be involved in. Everything [a politician] does must be for the sake of the country and its people," said Than Htay. Despite a 2015 defeat, Than Htay insists that the USDP remains a powerful force in the country. As for the reshuffling, he said leadership was peacefully transferred through internal elections to young, capable members, from former leaders who could no longer serve due to age and health concerns. "My plan is to win the election and gain power. By nature, victory and defeat are not permanent. You may win this time and lose next time. Our party will try to achieve certain targets in the 2020 election," he said. He also criticized Burma's Parliament, saying that it was undemocratic to be dominated by a single party—referring to National League for Democracy (NLD). When asked by The Irrawaddy about party assets and the transfer of assets when the USDA was transformed into the USDP, Khin Yi replied that the question should be directed to the person in charge of party finances. Then Irrawaddy asked how this person could be reached. Khin Yi replied that no one had been appointed to the position yet. "Since 2010, [those assets] have been clearly under the party's ownership. As of now, I can't explain it in detail. But I can assure that there was no misappropriation. All of the assets officially belong to the party," said Than Htay. The post USDP Eyes 2020 Presidency appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Meet the New Leaders of the Opposition Posted: 24 Aug 2016 11:56 PM PDT  New USDP chairman U Than Htay at a party press conference in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A reshuffle of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) on Tuesday saw younger faces emerge at the top of Burma's biggest opposition party, although the positions of chairman, vice-chairman and general secretary went to ex-military officers. This signals continuity with past leadership. The party was created in 2010 out of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, a mass organization under Burma's former military junta. It provided a vehicle for retired military brass to remain in frontline politics, after the party won the 2010 general election, widely considered fraudulent. In the new line-up, Burma's previous president and former army general U Thein Sein was replaced as chairman with U Than Htay, a retired brigadier general in the army and former minister of rail transport and of energy. U Myat Hein, a retired air force commander and minister of communication and information technology, was made vice chairman. U Thet Naing Win, a former lieutenant general in the army, was appointed general secretary. Ko Ye, the founder of the Tagaung Political Institute and an observer of civil-military relations in Burma, said the Tuesday reshuffle replaced an older leadership from between the ninth and 12th intakes of the Defense Service Academy—Burma's elite officer training school based in Pyin Oo Lwin—with ex-officers from the 17th and 18th intakes. "The USDP leadership has been taken up by people in their early 60s. U Thein Sein and other senior figures have given way to a younger generation, and are now in a position to guide the party," he told The Irrawaddy. According to USDP spokesperson U Khin Yi, U Thein Sein would continue to "supervise" the party as its chief "patron." Other members of the party's nine-member central "patrons committee" include former party vice-chairman U Htay Oo and former Upper House parliamentary speaker U Khin Aung Myint. U Than Htay, the new party chairman and de facto leader of the opposition, left the army at the rank of brigadier general in 2003 to become deputy minister of energy, before being promoted to minister in 2011. In 2013, he became minister of rail transport . He resigned the post after U Thein Sein picked him as a USDP candidate for the 2015 general election. Conversely, U Myat Hein and U Thet Naing Win stayed in the army until 2013 and 2015 respectively. U Than Htay and U Myat Hein were senior to Burma's current commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at the Defense Services Academy, being from earlier intakes—Myat Hein from the 17th, Than Htay from the 18th and Min Aung Hlaing from the 19th. "They are all similar in age to Min Aung Hlaing. Despite the handover to a younger generation, it's evident that the USDP takes seriously its relationship with the military," Ko Ye said. Born in 1954, U Than Htay won the 2010 general election in his hometown of Myan Aung in the Irrawaddy delta, under a USDP ticket, but lost to his NLD counterpart in 2015. During the campaign period in 2015, U Than Htay publicly criticized the NLD, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, for its message, "don't worry about the candidate, just vote for the party." "If someone considers themselves revered by the people, don't pick them. If you do, you are digging your own grave," he said during a campaign speech in Pegu Division in October. He also said publicly that the USDP, as the ruling party since 2011, was "protecting" the Burmese people and preventing them from being "wiped from the earth," claiming that the USDP was responsible for the Protection of Race and Religion Laws—a set of four laws, passed under sustained lobbying from ultra-nationalist groups, that place restrictions on religious conversion, interfaith marriage, polygamy, and childbirth in designated areas. "Those criticizing us for 'using religion in politics' are lowly people," he said during his campaign. The post Meet the New Leaders of the Opposition appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Chinese Envoy Encourages UWSA, Mongla Group to Participate in Peace Conference Posted: 24 Aug 2016 10:06 PM PDT  Chinese envoy Sun Guoxiang meets with the UWSA at their headquarters of Pangshang in northern Shan State on Tuesday. (Photo: Wa State Media) China's Special Envoy on Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang has met with two ethnic armed groups based along the Burma-China border, encouraging them to take part in the "21st Century Panglong" peace conference, scheduled to begin on August 31. Sun Guoxiang met on Tuesday with the United Wa State Army (UWSA), Burma's most powerful non-state armed group, in their headquarters of Pangshang in northern Shan State. On Wednesday, he met with the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) in their headquarters of Mongla in eastern Shan State. "[China] does not interfere in the affairs of our country. This is their policy. But, [the Chinese envoy] told us that it is important to be involved in the peace process, because China wants to see peace and stability along its border [with Burma]," said Kyi Myint, who represented the NDAA (popularly known as the Mongla Group) at the Wednesday meeting, Kyi Myint said his armed group would attend the peace conference. He expected that all ethnic armed groups would be able to attend. If there are problems, they can be "discussed and solved" at the conference, he said. The Burma Army has insisted that three ethnic armed groups—the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, the Arakan Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army—make a pledge to disarm before taking part in the peace conference; the three groups have refused, insisting instead that the Burma Army commit to halting all offensives against them. Kyi Myint downplayed the significance of the Burma Army's demand, which does not entail actual, immediate disarmament but a commitment to do so at an unspecified point in the future: the current dispute between the Burma Army and the three armed groups is "a disagreement over words," and could readily be solved through "negotiation." Traditionally maintaining an aloof stance towards politics and conflict in Burma, China has recently become more vocal and demonstrative in its support of the peace process. Chinese envoy Sun Guoxiang addressed a summit of ethnic armed groups in the Kachin State border town of Mai Ja Yang in July: he expressed confidence that all ethnic armed groups would be able to attend the peace conference, and announced that China had donated US$3 million in support of Burma's peace process, via the UN. There are five major ethnic armed groups based along the Chinese border: the United Wa State Army, the Kachin Independence Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (Kokang), the National Democratic Alliance Army (Mongla), and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army. They have benefitted from border trade agreements with China, alongside private Chinese investment. China's leverage over these groups is significant, leading to speculation that China may hold the key to Burma's peace process. The post Chinese Envoy Encourages UWSA, Mongla Group to Participate in Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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