To Hopeland and Back: Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee Meets
From 29-31
October, the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC) members from both sides
met at the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) on Shweli Lane off 4 Wisara Road,
Rangoon.
My job is to render
assistance and advice when the EAO’s representatives—particularly those from
the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S)—need
it.
As my time is
running out, this is obviously the only thing I can do.
 |
JMC meeting (Photo: Nyo Ohn Myint)
|
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
The wise
knows fire is dangerous and avoids it.
The fool
meanwhile thinks
With his
fool’s luck, he may find a way to harness it.
Anonymous
Today, I’m
leaving for Rangoon.
The day
begins with breaking news all over the Internet of the US-China naval
confrontation in the Spratly Islands, where a US destroyer has sailed within
the 12-nautical mile boundary around an artificial island built by China.
The incident
coincides with an invitation from the Panghsang-based (Pangkham) United Wa
State Party/Army (UWSP/UWSA) to ten non-NCA (Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement)
signatories for a “summit” on 1-3 November. The two main topics will be the November
8 elections and the peace process in its aftermath.
Prior to the
invitation, on September 4, Panghsang issued a statement which, in essence,
declared it would not be a signatory, as it had already promised China’s Yunnan
government that it would sign only if Naypyitaw agreed to “inclusiveness,”
meaning not leaving out any group, especially the Myanmar National Democratic
Alliance Army (MNDAA), better known as the Kokang armed group.
Before the
JMC meeting, the EAOs hold a pre-meeting from 19:00-21:30 at the Green Hill
Hotel, where they also are staying for the duration.
Maj. Gen.
Isaac Po of the Karen National Union (KNU) is chosen to deliver an opening
remark tomorrow. Leading discussants will be Padoh Ta Do Moo (KNU) and Dr Sui Khar
(CNF).
Apart from
the Military Code of Conduct (CoC) and Terms of Reference (TOR) for the JMCs,
there are other topics, like confirmation of the JMC-Union level, the signed
copies of the NCA yet to be received, and the parliamentary ratification of the
NCA at the earliest date possible.
Kwe Htoo Win of the KNU (Photo: The Irrawaddy)
Ta Do Moo,
like Kwe Htoo Win, is a great asset for the EAOs with his expertise in the
subject and his experience gained during the two-year-long NCCT-UPWC
(Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team-Union Peacemaking Working Committee)
negotiations.
Dr Sui Khar
also is an indispensable negotiator with his great sense of humor and
resourcefulness. “If there are ten Chins like him,” remarked one of the MPC
officials, “there will be no need for us Burmans to run the country.”
Thursday, 29 October 2015
One
who is good at martial arts overcomes others’ forces without battle.
From The Art of War
by Sun Tzu, Ch. 3
The
JMC-Union Level’s first meeting starts with opening speeches:
·
“The government
will strictly honor the promise made in the NCA.”
(U
Khin Maung Soe, government’s chair)
·
“Sun Tzu says ‘To
win without fighting is best’. To do it requires winning the hearts of the
people on the other side. Only then genuine peace can be achieved.”
(Maj.
Gen. Isaac Po, EAOs’ chairman)
The
day’s accomplishment is the agreement on the Military Code of Conduct (CoC)
draft presented by the EAOs, thanks especially to Ta Do Moo and the
government’s Lt-Gen. Ye Aung, both veterans of the two-year-long NCA
negotiations.
It
should be noted here that on the government’s side, the latter is the only old
hand. Others are either newcomers or were passive participants during the NCA
negotiation days. Whereas others are hesitant, he is forthright. He compares
the CoC draft with Ch. 3 (Ceasefire related matters) and Ch. 4 (Maintaining and
strengthening the ceasefire) of the NCA and on finding no disparities, he just
says, “This point should go ahead.” The rest just agree with him.
The
day’s session is followed by the daily press conference and interviews. I
remember being asked why there are non-signatory groups, if the NCA is just
fine as it is.
My
answer: “This is the classic example of the half-full/half-empty glass of water
metaphor. The signers think it’s half-full and the non-signers think it’s half-empty.”
 |
| Dr. Sui Khar, of the CNF (Photo: Pyidaungsu Institute) |
From
19:00-21:00, the EAOs hold a review session of the day.
Two
of the topics that take up the bulk of the time are:
·
Whether or not to
accept the government’s proposal that the JMC-Union’s formation be published in
the government’s official gazette. Some of the leaders think it’s a good idea,
making it more binding. The others are not sure. In the end, it is decided to
refer the decision-making to the planned summit in November.
·
How to form the JMC-State/Region
(JMC-S) level. With smaller states, the government’s proposal that the EAOs’
JMC-S deal directly with the corresponding regional command of the Burma Army
isn’t a problem. However with three EAOs, there are questions to be answered:
1. The
Arakan Liberation Party/Army (ALP/ALA) wants to know why there will be no JMC-S
for the Arakan/Rakhine State. The
government says it hasn’t been fighting enough to warrant a JMC. So what should
they do to make it worth it?
2. The
KNU’s armed wing—the KNLA (Karen National Liberation Army)—is spread out in
areas under two regional commands: the Southeast and Coastal. Does it mean that
the KNLA forces should regroup inside the area operated by one of the regional
commands?
3. The
same goes for the RCSS, whose SSA-S operates in some 19 townships in Shan State
in areas under four regional commands of the Burma Army. It is clear it will
not agree to regroup in one single area.
Then
comes the shock. I’m named as the opening remarks speaker for tomorrow. I ask
them whether it’s appropriate, as I’m not a member of any EAO. They say not
being a member should be the best reason.
I
accept it —
reluctantly. I later spend some time trying to think of what t say. That’s how
I fall asleep.
By SAI KHUENSAI / Director of Pyidaungsu Institute and Founder of Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N)
The views
expressed are the author’s own.
Tags: Opinion
