First draft for nationwide ceasefire ready for perusal
First draft for nationwide ceasefire ready for perusal
Shan Herald, 13 Sep 2013
URL: http://www.shanland.org/index.php?option=com_conte
The joint Karen-Shan technical team and the government established Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) completed the first draft of the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord during a 2-day meeting which ended yesterday, 12 September, according to Sao Yawd Serk, leader of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA).
The team is expected to return to the border today.
Though the details of the draft are yet to be made public, he said it included:
The revised 14 points proposed by the Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC) and
The reaffirmation of the 14 state/region level and 19 union level agreements signed since 2011 with 14 armed groups
It is expected to do the rounds among the armed movements as well as the all powerful National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), which is dominated by the Burmese military, for review before the two sides meet again to prepare a second draft.
Meeting with Vice President Sai Mawk Kham on 31 August following consultation between joint KNU-RCSS technical team and MPC. (Photo: RCSS/SSA)
“I already have a lot of things to say, though I haven’t seen the draft,” said Yawdserk. He did not elaborate.
According to the time table proposed by the MPC on 24 August:
October 2013: Signing of Nationwide Ceasefire Accord
November 2013-March 2014: Negotiations on Framework for Political Dialogue (“during which the COC will also be negotiated,” according to the MPC)
April 2014-March 2015: Union Conference
The Nationwide Ceasefire Accord should also have 5 signatories on the government side, instead of 4 as proposed by the WGEC: Not only the President, Upper House Speaker, Lower House Speaker, and the Commander-in-Chief but also the Attorney General.
Among the witnesses, the MPC proposed, there should be national leaders such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Hkun Htun Oo and those from groups such as 8888 Generation Students. Among the world leaders, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon has already assured he would be at the signing ceremony.
Naypyitaw has signed ceasefire with 14 movements:
Date Name of movement Note
1 6 September 2011 United Wa State Army Non
2 7 September 2011 National Democratic Alliance Army Non
3 3 November 2011 Democratic Karen Buddhist Army Non
4 2 December 2011 Restoration Council of Shan State Non
5 6 January 2012 Chin National Front UNFC
6 12 January 2012 Karen National Union UNFC
7 28 January 2012 Shan State Progress Party UNFC
8 7 February 2012 Karen Peace Council Non
9 25 February 2012 New Mon State Party UNFC
10 7 March 2012 Karenni National Progressive Party UNFC
11 5 April 2012 Arakan Liberation Party Non
12 9 April 2012 National Socialist Council of Nagaland Non
13 25 October 2012 PaO National Liberation Organization UNFC
14 5 August 2013 All Burma Students Democratic Front Non
The team is expected to return to the border today.
Though the details of the draft are yet to be made public, he said it included:
The revised 14 points proposed by the Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC) and
The reaffirmation of the 14 state/region level and 19 union level agreements signed since 2011 with 14 armed groups
It is expected to do the rounds among the armed movements as well as the all powerful National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), which is dominated by the Burmese military, for review before the two sides meet again to prepare a second draft.
Meeting with Vice President Sai Mawk Kham on 31 August following consultation between joint KNU-RCSS technical team and MPC. (Photo: RCSS/SSA)
“I already have a lot of things to say, though I haven’t seen the draft,” said Yawdserk. He did not elaborate.
According to the time table proposed by the MPC on 24 August:
October 2013: Signing of Nationwide Ceasefire Accord
November 2013-March 2014: Negotiations on Framework for Political Dialogue (“during which the COC will also be negotiated,” according to the MPC)
April 2014-March 2015: Union Conference
The Nationwide Ceasefire Accord should also have 5 signatories on the government side, instead of 4 as proposed by the WGEC: Not only the President, Upper House Speaker, Lower House Speaker, and the Commander-in-Chief but also the Attorney General.
Among the witnesses, the MPC proposed, there should be national leaders such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Hkun Htun Oo and those from groups such as 8888 Generation Students. Among the world leaders, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon has already assured he would be at the signing ceremony.
Naypyitaw has signed ceasefire with 14 movements:
Date Name of movement Note
1 6 September 2011 United Wa State Army Non
2 7 September 2011 National Democratic Alliance Army Non
3 3 November 2011 Democratic Karen Buddhist Army Non
4 2 December 2011 Restoration Council of Shan State Non
5 6 January 2012 Chin National Front UNFC
6 12 January 2012 Karen National Union UNFC
7 28 January 2012 Shan State Progress Party UNFC
8 7 February 2012 Karen Peace Council Non
9 25 February 2012 New Mon State Party UNFC
10 7 March 2012 Karenni National Progressive Party UNFC
11 5 April 2012 Arakan Liberation Party Non
12 9 April 2012 National Socialist Council of Nagaland Non
13 25 October 2012 PaO National Liberation Organization UNFC
14 5 August 2013 All Burma Students Democratic Front Non