Ethnic Leaders’ Views

After the signing, ethnic leaders’ careful comments reflected the tough road ahead

Cheery Zahau

The likely Chin Progressive Party candidate in the next election wrote in The Irrawaddy:

“In past ceasefire talks, under the leadership of Gen. Khin Nyunt and his predecessor, Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups were not in a position to create the terms of demand and timeframe.

This time, the working group managed to advance the game in terms of timeframe, in terms of demands, and in the interpretation of the terminology used in the draft agreement. This is a major achievement that the citizens of Myanmar and the international community alike either do not understand or are ignoring.

Maj.-Gen. Gun Maw

The Kachin Independence Army’s vice chief of staff said:

“This was not a binding agreement. But it will be the basis for working towards an NCA…

“The signing of a draft single text was not going to see an immediate stop to conflict. But it will build trust and hasten the process of signing a ceasefire. Of course, we should work to reduce the fighting and both sides should show respect to one another.”

Khun Okkar

The NCCT chairman said that the NCA could not be signed while there is conflict in Kachin State and the Kokang Special Region. The agreement could only be signed when the country is “stable,” he told The Irrawaddy.

It was the ethnic armed groups that introduced the concept of political dialogue; it was from their bitter experiences that a ceasefire alone would not be enough.

This political dialoge is a space, wherein there will be wider and more inclusive participation.

In the early phases of the peace process, the government’s negotiation team was satisfied with the status quo of accepting or offering business concessions as incentives for agreeing to a ceasefire. The more cautious and sensible Myanmar observers could see that the government’s roadmap for peace was business as usual.

The game changed, however, when government negotiators, led by Minister U Aung Min, agreed to the concept of political dialogue. Myanmar's ethnic groups deserve recognition for their consistency and perseverance.”