Since independence in 1948, Myanmar has been affected by ethnic conflict that has disturbed the peace of the country
August 20, 2020: Peace process in Myanmar has started again with another round of negotiations between the Myanmar government and Myanmar’s ethnic rebel groups. Since independence, more than 20 armed groups have been demanding and fighting for independence from Myanmar.
Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi,opened the fourth round of meeting of the Panglong Peace Conference in capital Nay Pyi Taw on 19th August, 2020. This is one of the last set of meetings before November’s general election.
Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, said“The long hoped-for union peace will be achieved with the collective strength of all stakeholders and people. All stakeholders including the military and all ethnic groups to unite and build a democratic federal union through dialogue. She further added “Reconciliation will be concurrently implemented with internal peace process by encouraging non-signatories of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) to agree on ceasefire and inviting them to political negotiations.”
According to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, “The military on its part is striving for ending the internal armed conflicts which might lessen unity of the state, national immunity and defence capability.”
According to the report of Foreign Brief, “It is expected that the conference will encourage non-signatories to accede to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).”
Myanmar governments main aim of this peace dialogue is to achieve peace and national reconciliation, that has been disturbed for decades. As after almost five years little has been achieved and peace process is disturbed repeatedly. The government believes that these internal conflicts should be solved at the earliest as democracy, development and equality in Myanmar can be only be achieve by this peace process.
According to several reports, the peace process has now largely become a shorthand for talks between the government and the 10 ethnic armed groups which have signed the National Ceasefire Agreement.
Since independence 1948, Myanmar has been affected by ethnic conflict and civil war. It is one of the longest running armed conflicts in the world. In Myanmar different ethnic groups have long experienced discrimination against them in every way. They have been ignored and marginalised by Myanmar government and international civil societies.
In October 2015, the Myanmar government and Ten ethnic armed organisations signed the National Ceasefire Agreement. It was originally signed by eight rebel groups during Thein Sein’s presidency including the Chin National Front, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, Karen National Union (KNU), and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS). The total number of 51 federalbasic principleswere adopted into the union accord after the third conference. Later the two other groups signed the agreement during Suu Kyi’s tenure at an earlier Panglong meeting — the New Mon State Party, and Lahu Democratic Union. The earlier peace conferences were held in August 2016, May 2017, and July 2018.
