MPC to Be Renamed ‘National Reconciliation and Peace Center’
MPC to Be Renamed ‘National Reconciliation and Peace Center’
The Irrawaddy, 28 Apr 2016
URL: http://www.irrawaddy.com/burma/mpc-to-be-renamed-national-reconciliation-and-peace-center.html
Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s state counselor and de facto leader of the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government, has proposed renaming the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) as the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC).
The suggestion came as she met with the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC), which includes members of the Burma Army, on Wednesday in Naypyidaw, Gen. Saw Issac Po, vice-chairman of the JMC, told The Irrawaddy.
Suu Kyi’s personal physician, Dr. Tin Myo Win, has been tipped to lead the renamed organization. State media on Thursday would concede only that the doctor will assume a prominent role in Burma’s peace process: Suu Kyi “announced the appointment of Dr. Tin Myo Win as the peace negotiator for the nationwide ceasefire agreement” at her meeting with the JMC on Wednesday, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.
“At present, we have to work to maintain the current stability based on the understanding and relationships of leaders from both sides,” he said. “When there are leadership changes, we have to start from very beginning again.”
Suu Kyi said she would seek international assistance to fund the NRPC and would make sure those funds were used properly, according to Shwe Kha, secretary of the JMC.
“A separate meeting will be held to discuss who should be included in the re-organized MPC. She [Suu Kyi] will make the decision. We’ll invite ethnic [representatives] and officials from JMC to the meeting,” added Saw Issac Po.
The suggestion came as she met with the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC), which includes members of the Burma Army, on Wednesday in Naypyidaw, Gen. Saw Issac Po, vice-chairman of the JMC, told The Irrawaddy.
Suu Kyi’s personal physician, Dr. Tin Myo Win, has been tipped to lead the renamed organization. State media on Thursday would concede only that the doctor will assume a prominent role in Burma’s peace process: Suu Kyi “announced the appointment of Dr. Tin Myo Win as the peace negotiator for the nationwide ceasefire agreement” at her meeting with the JMC on Wednesday, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.
“At present, we have to work to maintain the current stability based on the understanding and relationships of leaders from both sides,” he said. “When there are leadership changes, we have to start from very beginning again.”
Suu Kyi said she would seek international assistance to fund the NRPC and would make sure those funds were used properly, according to Shwe Kha, secretary of the JMC.
“A separate meeting will be held to discuss who should be included in the re-organized MPC. She [Suu Kyi] will make the decision. We’ll invite ethnic [representatives] and officials from JMC to the meeting,” added Saw Issac Po.