Harder to win than war - Day 2
Day Two. Thursday, 2 October 2014
“Negotiating for the NCA (Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement)
is like eating roasted beans,” says U Aung Min this morning to the 40 Shans
gathering at the meeting room of the hotel. “First you choose only crisp ones.
At last only tough ones remain. But we have to go though them, because there is
no Hsay Myidoe (fast remedy) for the ills that have accumulated for more
than 60 years.”
He is speaking about the deadlock reached between the
NCCT and The UPWC last month.
The impasse took place due to the apprehension of the
military, according to him, over several pieces of information that they have
received:
·
One of them being the formation of the Federal
Union Army (FUA) under the UNFC though the military had agreed to place the
issue to be discussed during the Framework and Political Dialogue Negotiations
·
The result is the DDR (Disarmament,
Demobilization and Reintegration) which has been placed ahead of the political
settlement despite earlier agreement to place it after it (“The President has
promised to return the DDR back to after political settlement”, he says)
·
The parliament also proposed the “ratification
of the NCA by the parliament” be changed to “submission of the NCA to the
parliament”, which gives rise to concern by the NCCT (“But that is as it should
be, “he explains later,” because the parliament won’t like being seen as a
rubber stamp. But the president has promised to take care of the matter”)
Naypyitaw,
according to him, has also promised three more things:
·
To work toward peace by all means
·
To work toward peace as soon as possible
·
To achieve peace without with the least mistakes
“What is going to happen if the NCA draft is rejected by
the NCCT?” one Shan leader asks. U Aung Min is prompt with his reply: We can
invite the 14 groups that have already signed state level and union level ceasefire
agreements, after they are ratified by the parliament, for political dialogue.
Those that have yet to sign them will also be invited as observers.”
He then takes leave, leaving the Shans to ponder over his
speech. (To be continued)
Tags: Opinion
