NCA-S EAOs discuss 8th JICM on NCA in Nay Pyi Taw

October 26, 2019

A preliminary coordination meeting was held yesterday morning at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) in Nay Pyi Taw, where the Ethnic Armed Organizations who are signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA-S EAOs), discussed holding the 8th Joint Implementing Coordination Meeting on the NCA. Speaking on the occasion, NRPC Vice Chairman Union Attorney General U Tun Tun Oo said more than a year had went by after holding Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong 3rd session and the fourth session could not be held due to the suspension of participation in official meetings on ceasefire work process and political dialogues; thus official discussions and meetings on peace process work were not held.
The government had raised the momentum of holding unofficial meetings with NCA-S EAOs to bring them back onto the path of regular political discussions. After holding theUnion Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong 3rd session, government representatives met unofficially with KNU seven times, with RCSS six times, CNF and ALP once each in addition to representatives of NCA-S EAOs for eleven times.
Under the joint arrangement of the governments of Norway and Switzerland separate meetings of Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) secretaries and peace process study tours were conducted from 25 September to 6 October 2019 where meetings and negotiations with NCA-S EAOs group’s UPDJC secretaries were held. Talks on restarting the long suspended peace discussions with JICM meeting agreement were also held. The outcome was today’s preliminary coordination meeting of the work group on holding JICM meeting.
The Union Government proposed four parallel work processes to strengthen the NCA. It is believed that there will be agreeable subjects in the proposal.
The government was also striving towards holding theUnion Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong 4th session in 2020. In this session political agreements on establishing a Democratic Federal Union, agreements on strengthening ceasefire, agreement on basic principles on democracy and federalsystem, work processes for the post 2020 period were expected to be reached, agreed and approved.
Today’s meeting hoped to establish agreements on restarting official meetings. In order to hold JICM meeting soon, two sides were to discuss and coordinate on the JICM meeting agenda and discuss on the important matter of holding theUnion Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong 4th session from the official meetings that were suspended for more than a year. Agreement was reached among the leaders of the two sides on expanding theJICM Mandate. Negotiations will be held today to amend this JICM Mandate. Negotiated agreements will be submitted and decided in the soon to be held JICM meeting and implemented.
The aim of all thiswas believed to be achieving a sustainable peace. To achieve this same aim and goal, similarities are to be sought out with patience, understanding, and give and take. It wasnecessary to reach the desired aims and goals as quickly as possible and there should be no room forhalting or stopping. Only then could sustainable peace be achieved, which everyone desires.
NRPC wished to thank all the leaders who attended the meeting as well as those who helped and supported toward holding this meeting and that he hopedpractical agreementwould be reached, said the Union Attorney General.
Next, JICM coordination group leader Sao SaiNgin said JICM wasthe highest machinery of NCA that playedthe main role of steering the implementation of NCA. JICM’s guidance, leadership and resolving blockages were the main bloodline of the peace process.
JICM meetings had not been held for more than a year for many reasons and it greatly affected the peace process. He thanked both sides for going over numerous discussions for this meeting to be held.
The JICM agenda for the meeting would be openly and cordially discussed todayas well as other important subjects.
Today’s meeting was held because of the peace process that restarted with the unofficial meeting of UPDJC secretaries on 13 and 14 June 2019 and gives and takes made during the study tour of Europe of UPDJC secretaries.
While discussions and were held to ensure coordination on the government side, there were numerous discussions within the ten NCA-S EAOs. Efforts were made for everyone to come along. Much had to be done to balance all sides so that there were no frictions.
During the four years, there would be eight sessions of Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong if it were held twice a year as planned. There wouldbe many more agreements than the 51 points so far agreed and a federal foundation would have been laid. Due to distrust and worries, inability to prevent extremism and taking of opportunities, theUnion Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong could not be held as scheduled. Everyone was held responsible for this. There was a need to strive toward holding 21st Century Panglong responsibly and transparently.
As both sides have signed the NCA, the road to peace will be smooth and straight, if the agreement is followed. But peace will be difficult to achieve, if it is ignored.
The fourth anniversary of the NCA would be held on 28 October and the requirement was to re-establish trust. All need to bear in mind that putting great efforts in the peace process over difficulties and challenges was not for the benefit of an individual or a group but for the entire union, said JICM coordination group leader Sao SaiNgin.
Afterwards the two sides cordially and openly discussed NCA Chapter 3 ceasefire, NCA Chapter 4 implementing work processes to strengthen ceasefire, amending JICM ToR, holding Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong fourth session in early 2020, holding UPDJC meetings and other related meetings to hold Union Peace Conference, agreement to be included in Union agreement part 3, implementing 5th JICM meeting decision number six and continuing the efforts based on theNCA for more EAOs to participate in the peace process.
Meeting attendees also discussed general matters and the meeting came to a close after NRPC Vice Chairman Union Attorney General U TunTunOo and JICM coordination group leader Sao SaiNginhaddelivered a closing speeches.
The meeting was attended by NRPC Vice Chairman Union Attorney General U TunTunOo, members Lt-Gen YarPyae, Lt-Gen Min Naung and Lt-Gen Tin Maung Win, secretary Deputy Minister U KhinMaung Tin, PyithuHluttaw representative U Htay Win Aung @ U Pyone Cho, Peace Commission Advisory Board members U HlaMaungShwe, U Moe ZawOo, Director-General U ZawHtay from Ministry of the Office of the State Counsellor, NCA-S EAOs’ JICM coordination group leader Sao SaiNgin, members KhunMyintTun, NaiAung Ma Nge, Solomon, Padoh L Klusay, Saw KyawNyunt, Saw Sein Win, DrHlanHmonSarKhaung, Daw Saw MraRazar Lin, YebawMyo Win and officials.— MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)