Nay Pyi Taw, March (31)
Political observers and anti-regime forces have asserted that the peace plan discussed by the military council’s peace team and the seven ethnic armed groups that have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) is unachievable.
The seven ethnic informal negotiation groups and the National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee (NSPNC) held an informal meeting in Nay Pyi Taw on March 28 and 29.
The seven ethnic groups said that they presented the issues of establishing an inclusive framework for peace dialogue, the stages of the peace process, the federal principle, the protection of civilians and the provision of humanitarian assistance, and the issues of achieving common agreements among each group.
Meanwhile, the military council discussed regional stability, holding elections and a peace
conference, and amending the basic articles of the 2008 Constitution.
Colonel Saw Kyaw Nyunt, spokesperson of the seven NCA signatories, told Than Lwin Times,"Regarding the holding of the peace conference, it has not yet reached the stage where we can discuss and negotiate thoroughly, and this discussion is different from the 21 st century Panglong Conference".
In his Armed Forces Day speech, the military leader vowed to take decisive action against the National Unity Government (NUG), the People's Defense Forces (PDFs), and some ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) that support them.
China-based Myanmar political analyst Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw remarked that the plight of Myanmar depends on the military dictatorship, and the prospect of peace is still far away due to the military's strong attitude towards opposition groups.
The Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP) reported that as of March 30, more than 3,180 individuals had been killed nationwide as a result of the military council's worsening human rights violations targeting federal activists and democracy.
U Nay Phone Latt, the spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office of National Unity
Government (NUG), told Than Times that although the military regime is talking about peace,they need to be monitored because their words and deeds do not match. He added, "The junta is repeating the word 'peace' on the one hand, but on the other hand, they are brutally killing people regardless of races and religions, old or young, ethnic groups, and pregnant women.
In April last year, the military leader invited the ethnic armed groups for peace talks, and seven NCA-signatories and three non-NCA signatories met with the military council for the third and fourth times.
General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military coup on February 1, 2021, has said that the military regime is always open to bringing ethnic armed organizations to the peace table.
Saline Htet Ni, spokesman of the Chin National Front (CNF) that is fighting with the military council, responded that, the military council is using peace as a political escape to gain international support under the 2008 constitution, which was unacceptable to him.
On the other hand, the military council is facing attacks by ethnic armed organizations and the People's Defense Forces, who are engaging in the conflict nationwide to topple the military regime.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported on March 21 that nearly 1.4 million people have been displaced due to the conflict and insecurity in more than two years since the military coup.
News – Than Liwn Times
Photo: MOI
Thanlwintimes