Both sides insist peace is still possible
Both sides insist peace is still possible
Myanmar Times, 06 Oct 2014
URL: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/11878-both-sides-insist-peace-is-still-possible.html
Negotiators on both sides of the peace process have insisted that trust and commitment remain strong, despite recent talks in Yangon failing to result in a finalized draft nationwide ceasefire and recent clashes between ethnic and Tatmadaw soldiers.
The September 22-26 talks were the sixth held by the government Union Peace-making Work Committee and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), which was formed in November 2013 to coordinate negotiations on behalf of 16 armed ethnic groups.
After the meeting, soldiers from ethnic armed groups and the Tatmadaw clashed in Mon and Kayin states.
NCCT leader Naing Han Thar said the two events should not be taken to mean that the peace process is in trouble.
“There were some difficulties during this meeting compared to previous meetings. But these difficulties are negligible compared to those faced on the battlefield,” Naing Han Thar said.
He said all NCCT members are convinced that the government is committed to peace.
“Whatever the difficulties, the main negotiators and top leaders of both sides will have to overcome them. We have the commitment and are working with patience to be able to reach our peace destination,” he said.
Following discussions in August, ethnic and government negotiators said they believed talks had reached an important milestone, with agreement being reached on some of the basic principles of federalism and issues related to security sector reform.
“We no longer have a two-sided attitude. We are now a single group,” said U Aung Min, the chief government negotiator.
His comments were echoed by ethnic leaders. “During these three days of discussions, it was like the ‘them and us’ attitude had disappeared … We were collectively seeking solutions to reach genuine peace,” said Pado Kwe Htoo Win, a deputy leader of the NCCT.
The discussions in September focused on the thorniest issue in the peace process: the future of armed ethnic groups and the Tatmadaw in a post-conflict Myanmar.
Progress was slower, with the Tatmadaw representatives pushing back some security sector reform issues from the political dialogue phase to the political roadmap – the process of implementing the decisions made during political dialogue to transition to a federal country.
Ethnic leaders insisted they were not upset at the apparent change in approach from the military.
“Both sides made corrections. There is no need to blame each other,” said NCCT member Salai Lian Hmung Sar Khaung.
This impressive level of trust stems from the government’s new-found respect for the armed ethnic groups and its agreement to establish a federal political system, with significantly more power devolved to sub-national governments.
Early attempts to build trust, however, were not always smooth, and ran up against deeply rooted feelings of antipathy and even hatred on both sides. While ethnic groups viewed the government as an invader, the government questioned their commitment to the future of a unified Myanmar.
Major General Gun Maw said changing these perceptions was essential for the future of the peace process. “What we were doing during the past three years … is correcting these views and misunderstandings,” he said.
In an attempt to gain the trust of government, the ethnic armed groups had to clearly show that they had no intention of seceding or using the ceasefire period to build strength in case of future conflict, said Naing Han Thar.
“The government’s trust in us depends on our sincerity to peace and honestly seeking solutions to the armed conflict,” he said.
“Our movements and demands are not to get any special privileges or to secede but rather for ethnic equality and self-administration of our ethnic affairs. We just want those rights,” he said. “If we got those, not only would we not secede, we would not let ourselves be pushed out of the country.”
Pado Kwe Htoo Win was blunt on the issue. “Secession is not practical. In practice it is impossible.”
Nevertheless, the long-standing nature of the conflict means that the current level of trust is not unshakeable. While the sixth round of talks and recent clashes have not deterred commitment to the peace process, continued momentum remains important, according to Pado Kwe Htoo Win.
“After the ceasefire, trust has to keep building. We still remember the tricks that we played on each other in the past. The government looked at us as insurgents and destroyers, and we saw the government as military dictators destroying the country … Grievances against the government are deeply rooted in our minds,” he said.
“For example, we still unconsciously use the word ‘enemy’ to refer to the government, although we are now the dialogue partners. More trust-building mechanisms, decisions on the positioning of troops and even education programs will be needed to change that.”
The September 22-26 talks were the sixth held by the government Union Peace-making Work Committee and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), which was formed in November 2013 to coordinate negotiations on behalf of 16 armed ethnic groups.
After the meeting, soldiers from ethnic armed groups and the Tatmadaw clashed in Mon and Kayin states.
NCCT leader Naing Han Thar said the two events should not be taken to mean that the peace process is in trouble.
“There were some difficulties during this meeting compared to previous meetings. But these difficulties are negligible compared to those faced on the battlefield,” Naing Han Thar said.
He said all NCCT members are convinced that the government is committed to peace.
“Whatever the difficulties, the main negotiators and top leaders of both sides will have to overcome them. We have the commitment and are working with patience to be able to reach our peace destination,” he said.
Following discussions in August, ethnic and government negotiators said they believed talks had reached an important milestone, with agreement being reached on some of the basic principles of federalism and issues related to security sector reform.
“We no longer have a two-sided attitude. We are now a single group,” said U Aung Min, the chief government negotiator.
His comments were echoed by ethnic leaders. “During these three days of discussions, it was like the ‘them and us’ attitude had disappeared … We were collectively seeking solutions to reach genuine peace,” said Pado Kwe Htoo Win, a deputy leader of the NCCT.
The discussions in September focused on the thorniest issue in the peace process: the future of armed ethnic groups and the Tatmadaw in a post-conflict Myanmar.
Progress was slower, with the Tatmadaw representatives pushing back some security sector reform issues from the political dialogue phase to the political roadmap – the process of implementing the decisions made during political dialogue to transition to a federal country.
Ethnic leaders insisted they were not upset at the apparent change in approach from the military.
“Both sides made corrections. There is no need to blame each other,” said NCCT member Salai Lian Hmung Sar Khaung.
This impressive level of trust stems from the government’s new-found respect for the armed ethnic groups and its agreement to establish a federal political system, with significantly more power devolved to sub-national governments.
Early attempts to build trust, however, were not always smooth, and ran up against deeply rooted feelings of antipathy and even hatred on both sides. While ethnic groups viewed the government as an invader, the government questioned their commitment to the future of a unified Myanmar.
Major General Gun Maw said changing these perceptions was essential for the future of the peace process. “What we were doing during the past three years … is correcting these views and misunderstandings,” he said.
In an attempt to gain the trust of government, the ethnic armed groups had to clearly show that they had no intention of seceding or using the ceasefire period to build strength in case of future conflict, said Naing Han Thar.
“The government’s trust in us depends on our sincerity to peace and honestly seeking solutions to the armed conflict,” he said.
“Our movements and demands are not to get any special privileges or to secede but rather for ethnic equality and self-administration of our ethnic affairs. We just want those rights,” he said. “If we got those, not only would we not secede, we would not let ourselves be pushed out of the country.”
Pado Kwe Htoo Win was blunt on the issue. “Secession is not practical. In practice it is impossible.”
Nevertheless, the long-standing nature of the conflict means that the current level of trust is not unshakeable. While the sixth round of talks and recent clashes have not deterred commitment to the peace process, continued momentum remains important, according to Pado Kwe Htoo Win.
“After the ceasefire, trust has to keep building. We still remember the tricks that we played on each other in the past. The government looked at us as insurgents and destroyers, and we saw the government as military dictators destroying the country … Grievances against the government are deeply rooted in our minds,” he said.
“For example, we still unconsciously use the word ‘enemy’ to refer to the government, although we are now the dialogue partners. More trust-building mechanisms, decisions on the positioning of troops and even education programs will be needed to change that.”