Shan Herald Agency for News

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Ethnic negotiation team: Door to peaceful resolution opened Posted: 09 Jun 2015 12:11 AM PDT The 19 month old Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), set up by the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) at the Kachin base of Laiza in November 2013, says its 17 month negotiations with the government, has resulted in opening the door for resolution by political means to the 60 plus year old armed conflicts. Karen National Union (KNU) then General Secretary Zipporah Sein (R) speaks to reporters after meeting with Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (front L) at Suu Kyi's home in Rangoon, April 8, 2012. The report was submitted by NCCT leader Nai Hongsa aka Nai Hantha at the EAO summit held at the Karen base of Law Khee Lar on 2 June, the first day of its 8-day marathon conference. Apart from it, other happy outcomes include: Hopes for peace and the emergence of a federal union Alternative means to amending the constitution inside parliament Demonstration of the armed resistance movements' "unity, maturity and political foresight both to the people of Burma and the rest of the world" Build-up of mutual trust first and understanding between the two sides "The NCCT has also managed to produce these results without compromising the political principles laid down by the (first) Law Khee Lar conference," he said. The principles set out by the first Law Khee Lar, January 2014, include: Emergence of a Genuine Federal Union Insertion of the word Taw-HLan-Ye (meaning either Resistance or Revolution in Burmese) in the text Use of "Union Peace Convention" for the conference that will follow political dialogues among stakeholders Removal of the phrase "Except for issues detrimental to" (the Three National Causes upheld by the government, i.e. Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of National Solidarity, and Perpetuation of National Sovereignty) Proportional participation of three parties in the political dialogue: Government, ethnic armed resistance movements and registered political parties as well as suitable democratic forces To replace national level political dialogues with national level and nationalities level political dialogues Inclusions of interim arrangements in the NCA Proposition of signatory witnesses to the NCA in addition to UN and China All inclusiveness in the NCA signing The peace process nevertheless faces several challenges, "as the completion of the NCA is only the first step," said Nai Hongsa. Needs include: Better cooperation within and among EAOs Study in the art of compromise and negotiation Financial support Human resources Timely decisions The conference, according to the media, has appointed a new 15 person coordination team headed by Karen National Union (KNU) Vice Chairwoman Zipporah Sein to negotiate with the government for a 15 point amendment proposition on the NCA text, as put forward by the conference. It has also decided to keep the NCCT as it is, said the sources. "Its tenure was supposed to have ended with its report to the Summit," said a Karen source. "But some say it will end only after the signing of the NCA."

In the aftermath of Law Khee Lar Summit, Peace Process looks dim Posted: 08 Jun 2015 09:21 PM PDT With the Law Khee Lar Summit Meeting of Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs)' leaders, from 2 to 9 June, coming to an end, the question arises whether the much awaited Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) could be signed according to the liking and timing of Thein Sein regime anytime soon. Law Khee Lar Meeting has come up with the resolution of all-inclusive signing of the NCA; amendment of the 5th NCA Draft of 31 March; and formation of a new negotiation team to replace the old Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT). The regime is said to be pegged to the acceptance of its 16  EAOs that have signed ceasefire, except for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) that has not signed but taken as a negotiation partner. The EAOs leadership, on the other hand, wouldn't budge from insisting that all of its 16 NCCT members must be included in the NCA ratification, of which three, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), also known as Kokang group, Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Arakan Army (AA), are rejected and not recognized as negotiation partners by the government. According to DVB, on 8 June, Min Zaw Oo of Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) said, it would be hard to accept the said three EAOs, for from the regime's point of view, they are newly formed groups; and especially the MNDAA for getting stronger starting 2012 by militarily beefing up its forces. The government might think it is being pressured by military means to be accepted as negotiation partner. He said, as the government still adheres to its 16 designated EAOs, if groups like Kokang will participate, it is going to be difficult to proceed. Another point is the alteration of NCA by the EAOs, which means there would be more discussions and negotiations that the government could ill afford, for time is running out, with the national elections approaching fast and scheduled to be held in November. It is clear that the regime wants to cash in by signing the NCA as soon as possible, which would make the regime's party looks good during the election campaigns and also benefits from international humanitarian and development aid programs, promised by the donors, once the NCA is signed. The UN special representative Vijay Nambiar was delivering exactly this kind of message, when he urged the conference participants to sign the NCA, so that aids could be channeled. If the signing is delayed, the UN might reconsider its affirmative position, he said. Then there is a pressing issue on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) and security sector reform (SSR). The regime, or better the military, prefers DDR, which the EAOs consider to be "negotiated surrender", while the EAOs are for SSR, which the military believes to be destroying its Burman-dominated military apparatus, by integrating the ethnic armed forces into the Burma Army on equal status. On top of that, the new EAOs negotiation team, which is to be the counterpart of Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC),  is made up of a more hawkish individuals that won't give in easily to the regime's pressure. Naw Zipporah Sein, who would head the newly formed team, has often been at odds with the Karen National Union (KNU) Chairman Mutu Say Poe for his regime's friendly policy posture and implementation. Under such circumstances, it is hard to imagine that the future negotiations, if there is going to be any, between the EAOs and the regime will be a smooth one, given so much disagreement and differing positions on how to go about to achieve a compromised, desired outcomes, that all could identify and be happy with. The contributor is ex-General Secretary of the dormant Shan Democratic Union (SDU) — Editor

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