BANGKOK: Union Minister Aung Min led the Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) at a meeting with ethnic armed organisations that did not sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on February 22. The aim of the government’s peace delegation was to try to persuade non-signatories to sign the NCA.
“We will go to Thailand on February 22. We will pave the way for non-signatories to sign the NCA. The negotiation process is the government’s duty. The current government has one month left to fulfil this duty. Therefore, the government will try to persuade the non-signatories sign the NCA. This is just the business of the government,” said Aung Naing Oo, the government-appointed peace negotiator for the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC).
“The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) was formed by nine ethnic armed groups that did not sign the NCA. The UNFC wants to meet and negotiate together. The UNFC members may meet separately with various members of the council,” said Tun Zaw, the joint-secretary of the UNFC.
Aung Min told the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) on February 20 that the UPWC will continue negotiating with the non-signatories to the NCA to ensure that they join the NCA community.
The non-signatories to the NCA include the KIO/KIA, the KNPP, the NMSP, the SSPP/SSA, the PSLF/TNLA, the MNDAA, the AA, the LDU, the WNO, the ANC, the UWSP/UWSA, the NDAA and the NSCN-K. The UNFC members are the KIO/KIA, the NMSP, the KNPP, the SSPP/SSA, the PSLF/TNLA, the ANC, the MNDAA, the LDU and the WNO.
Phado Saw Kywe Win, the secretary general of the Karan National Union (KNU), earlier said any ethnic armed group should have the right to participate in the political dialogues, but only if it signs the NCA. He added that this probably wouldn’t happen until the incoming government takes the reins of the country.
