Peace processes, ceasefires and ceasefire talks (websites, documents, reports and studies)

OBL does not document all details of the ceasefires and peace negotiations as these are covered by several of the websites/multiple documents below.
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Websites/Multiple Documents

Title: "Kachinland News"
Description: News, Opinion/Analysis, Interview, Photo, Video
Source/publisher: Kachinland News
Date of entry/update: 2015-07-26
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Kachin
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Title: Ceasefires in Myanmar
Description: "Ceasefires in Burma have been heavily utilised by the Burmese government as a policy to contain ethnic rebel groups and create tentative truces. The first ceasefire was arranged by the State Law and Order Restoration Council in 1989, specifically spearheaded by Khin Nyunt, then the chief of Military Intelligence, with the Kokang-led National Democratic Alliance Army, which had recently split from the Communist Party of Burma due to internal conflicts..."...Since 1989, the Burmese government has signed the following ceasefire agreements...":
Source/publisher: Wikipedia
Date of entry/update: 2015-06-01
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS)
Description: Studies and other documents on Burma/Myanmar as well as on peace and conflict in other countries in SE Asia
Source/publisher: Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS)
Date of entry/update: 2012-10-22
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: DVB Category: Peace Process
Description: Articles on the peace process from late 2013
Source/publisher: Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-12
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: EBO Myanmar
Description: EBO?s vision for the future of the Union of Myanmar: The ?Pyidaungsu” (Union of Myanmar) is established as a federal democratic country after a well-negotiated and sustainable peace process. Just and fair negotiations have ended the 65-year old civil war and there is peaceful co-existence, where multi-ethnic communities thrive and participate actively in the political arena. The National Dialogue during the peace process has led to good governance and the establishment of a developed and prosperous nation. The international community supports the transition process and assists in the country?s development. Human rights are widely understood, fulfilled, promoted and respected. mission statement In support of the vision, EBO will: Encourage and strengthen the capacity of decision makers (the executive, army, parliament, civil service & political parties) to seek a more inclusive and democratic solution to peace through engagement processes with other stakeholders to develop policies and strengthen democratic practices. Facilitate ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) to consult amongst themselves; provide information, training and resources to develop policies and strategies for negotiations; and to implement their agreement with the government. The program will also build the capacity of EAOs to interact with the general public and political parties to strengthen collaboration and cooperation in support of a position to negotiate with the government. Strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations and (especially ethnic) media by facilitating access to information, training and funding to enable them, especially women and youth, to participate in the peace process and have a more active role in social and political processes. Provide the international community, foreign governments and INGOs with information on developments within Myanmar to help develop their policies to support democratization and to help coordinate their response and involvement in the peace process..."
Source/publisher: Euro-Burma Office (EBO)
Date of entry/update: 2015-04-25
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Ethnic Peace Resources Project (EPRP) (English, Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Description: "The Ethnic Peace Resources Project (EPRP) provides information and training to support ethnic communities in Myanmar working on the peace process. This website provides resources and training materials and is one part of the Ethnic Peace Resources Project. A website User Guide is provided to help you."
Source/publisher: Ethnic Peace Resources Project (EPRP) Ethnic peace resources project
Date of entry/update: 2013-09-19
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ
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Title: Legal Pluralism
Description: Legal pluralism covers situations where more than one legal culture is present. In Burma/Myanmar, for instance, there is the Anglo-Burmese statutory law, Burmese and non-Burmese customary law, legal codes drafted by various non-state actors as well as the gradual entry of international human rights standards...In our view, legal pluralism has an important place in the peace process. [This is a link to the Legal Pluralism sub-section in Law and Constitution]
Source/publisher: Online Burma/Myanmar Library
Date of entry/update: 2015-07-30
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Myanmar Peace Monitor
Description: "Myanmar Peace Monitor is a project run by the Burma News International that works to support communication and understanding in the current efforts for peace and reconciliation in Myanmar. It aims to centralize information, track and make sense of the many events and stakeholders involved in the complex and multifaceted peace process..."
Source/publisher: Burma News International
Date of entry/update: 2013-05-15
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Myanmar Peace Support Initiative (MPSI)
Description: The Myanmar Peace Support Initiative (MPSI) was formed in March 2012 at the request of the Government of Myanmar for international support to the peace process... MPSI works with and engages the Government, the Myanmar Army, non-state armed and political groups, civil society actors and communities, as well as international partners to provide concrete support to the ceasefire process and emerging peace process. From the outset, the intention has been for the MPSI to provide temporary support to the emergence and consolidation of peace in the absence of appropriate longer-term structures and while more sustainable traditional international responses are mobilised. Over the last year, the Government has formed the Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC), and donors have agreed to establish a secretariat to support the workings of the Peace Donor Support Group (PDSG). Efforts are being made to build the capacity of ethnic actors through the establishment of ethnic support structures. In line with its stated purpose of being a temporary structure, MPSI aspires to hand over many of its responsibilities and initiatives to permanent structures."....On 16 December, 2014, OBL noticed that one of the URLs was not working (temporary?). We have placed this link as an Alternate URL.
Source/publisher: Myanmar Peace Support Initiative (MPSI)
Date of entry/update: 2013-09-19
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Panglong Peace Conference
Description: Link to a dedicated section on the Panglong Conference
Source/publisher: Online Burma/Myanmar Library
Date of entry/update: 2016-08-31
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Peace Building Sector
Description: ''This page contains information on all aspects of peace building, including current needs and activities in Myanmar. The aim of this page is to provide actors across the sector with information that will enable greater coordination, transparency, and efficiency of operations in peace building. Information on this page includes situation updates and analysis, information on inter-agency coordination and activities under implementation, relevant thematic maps and publications, and also key technical guidelines and resources related to Peacebuilding...''
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU)
Date of publication: 1970-01-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-02-07
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
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Title: Peace Donor Support Group
Description: "The Peace Donor Support Group (PDSG) was first convened in June 2012 by the Government of Norway at the request of President U Thein Sein in order to provide a common platform for dialogue between the donor community and the Government of Myanmar, and to better coordinate the international community?s support to peace in general and the provision of aid in conflict-affected areas. The Government of Myanmar asked that the Group be initially composed of Norway, Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United Nations, and the World Bank. The US, Japan and Switzerland were invited to join the PDSG in May 2013. The efforts of the PDSG are premised on the belief that the current context represents an unprecedented opportunity to resolve ethnic conflicts, and that the international community can support the momentum for peace and help to build confidence in the peace-making process among key stake-holders. The engagement is also premised on the need for broad consultations with affected communities and civil society, and the acknowledgement of the importance of a political peace process. In addition to meeting the Union Government and NSAGs, the PDSG members also plan to continue to meet with civil society groups, and the wider donor community. These meetings provide an opportunity for the PDSG to demonstrate political support for the peace-making process, to get a better understanding of the needs and views of different stakeholders, enhance the co-ordination and coherence of peacebuilding support from donor partners, and for drawing on lessons from other, relevant international experiences. Some members of the Peace Donor Support Group, and other international donors, are also currently providing funding and technical support to Myanmar Peace Support Initiative."
Source/publisher: Peace Donor Support Group
Date of entry/update: 2013-09-19
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Pyidaungsu Institute
Description: "Founding: The Institute was founded in August 2013 in accordance with the resolution of representatives of ethnic organisations and civil society organizations (CSOs) in December 2012 in Chiangmai... Vision: A just, equitable, democratic and pluralistic Pyidaungsu... Mission: To provide impartial and independent spaces for building common understanding, resources and assistance to communities in building the Pyidaungsu... Values: 1) Grounded in relevant and factual information; 2) Directed and managed by participants in building the Pyidaungsu; 3) Focused to support needs identified by the participants..."
Source/publisher: Pyidaungsu Institute
Date of entry/update: 2016-09-12
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Individual Documents

Title: China promises to support Myanmar peace talks with rebel groups
Description: "China promised to continue to support Myanmar’s peace talks with ethnic minority groups and to boost its coronavirus aid on the first stop of the foreign minister’s six-day tour of Southeast Asia. During Monday’s meetings with President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Wang Yi also urged Myanmar to speed up construction work on the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor – a key element of the country’s Belt and Road Initiative. “China will support the new Myanmar government in revitalising the economy, improving people’s livelihoods and accelerating the industrialisation process. We hope that both sides will work together to effectively implement the agreement on building the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and promote connectivity at the western, northern and eastern ends of the corridor,” Wang told the president, according to a report by state news agency Xinhua. China shares more than 2,100km (1,300 miles) of border with Myanmar’s north, an area that has long been troubled by the fighting between government and ethnic minority rebel groups, making China a crucial player in peace talks between the government armies and ethnic armed groups. Wang said Beijing would do whatever it could to support the peace negotiations, adding: “China supports Myanmar government’s commitment to national reconciliation in the country … and will continue to provide assistance within its capabilities, as well as upholding justice and safeguarding Myanmar’s legitimate rights and interests in the international arena.” In response, Win Myint told Wang that Myanmar was keen to cooperate with China on vaccine distribution and would continue to support Beijing’s positions on Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang, according to Xinhua..."
Source/publisher: "South China Morning Post" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2021-01-15
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Title: Rebooting Myanmar’s Stalled Peace Process - Asia Report N°308 | 19 June 2020
Sub-title: The polls approaching in Myanmar are an opportunity for the government and ethnic armed groups to re-examine their positions in the country’s peace process. All parties should use the election-related hiatus to ask why talks have not succeeded and how to make them more productive.
Description: "A flurry of negotiations among Myanmar’s government, its military and ethnic armed groups belies deeper problems in the country’s moribund peace process. The government and armed groups that have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) are eager to hold a Panglong-21 peace conference before electoral dy­namics take precedence later this year. As a result, two prominent armed groups that had suspended their participation have formally re-entered the peace process. Although these are positive developments, even if it takes place the conference would be largely symbolic and do little to address the fundamental obstacles on Myanmar’s road toward sustainable peace. By putting formal negotiations on hold for at least six months, the election and subsequent transition period constitute a unique opportunity for a rethink. All parties involved should use this window to examine blockages that have hindered genuine progress so far, multiply informal meetings to rebuild trust and examine ways of reinvigorating the peace process from 2021. and the overwhelming Burman dominance in political institutions. The discontent is most evident in Rakhine State, where the political marginalisation of the Rakhine ethnic minority under the NLD has boosted support for the Arakan Army insurgency. Armed conflict and insecurity are likely to result in the cancellation of voting in some constituencies in minority areas, particularly in Rakhine State, which will only deepen local minorities’ alienation. The election period, however, will also be an opportunity to reflect on how to take the peace process forward. The formal negotiations will likely be put on hold for six to twelve months, until after the next cabinet is sworn in (scheduled for late March 2021). The current government, the military and ethnic armed groups should use this period to review their own strategy and goals, ramp up informal dialogue and examine crucial issues that have so far been put aside, such as the growth of the illicit economy and the mounting might of military-aligned militias. Even if the COVID19 pandemic delays the Panglong-21 conference, there will still be a significant period during which formal peace negotiations will not take place. This downtime constitutes a unique opportunity for all parties to reflect on how to restart the process with a more constructive approach in 2021. If the NLD forms the next government, as appears likely, it should use its second term in office to reinvigorate its leadership of the peace process. Overcoming the deadlock in negotiations toward a political settlement requires a fundamental shift in approach. As a first step, Naypyitaw should overhaul institutions like the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre, to rely less on former government bureaucrats and instead draw in new negotiators and advisers from a range of backgrounds, such as business, academia and civil society. The key to substantive progress, however, lies in renewed political commitment from Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD to the peace process, a stronger sense of empathy with the grievances of ethnic minorities, and a clear vision for where the peace process is going..."
Source/publisher: International Crisis Group (Belgium) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-19
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Title: To revive the peace process, all sides need to compromise
Sub-title: The peace process has made little progress since the National League for Democracy took office and stakeholders will need to embrace a new approach if the guns of war are to be silenced under the next government.
Description: "The Union Election Commission’s announcement that the general election will be held in November means that the two months of campaigning will begin in September and end two days before voting takes place. The election campaign period has implications for the peace process. Political parties, including the ruling National League for Democracy, will be focusing on their campaigns and will have little time to devote to complex negotiations involving the government, Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups. The election will be followed by the installation of new governments and peace process will not be able to resume until April next year at the earliest. This is why the NLD government is pushing to hold another 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference before the election campaign period begins – the last opportunity to do so before its term ends. Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay predicted at a regular news conference on May 30 that part three of the Union Accord would be signed at the next peace conference if it is held in the coming weeks. Zaw Htay said the accord consists of three parts. The first part includes topics not included in the original agreement that could be the subject of further negotiations. The second is the phases to be implemented after the 2020 election, and the third involves agreeing on the fundamental principles of a federal Union. The reason for addressing post-election matters is to provide some assurance that the peace process will continue regardless of the election outcome. Although the NLD is widely expected to win enough seats to nominate the president and form the next government, the accord will provide a greater certainty to all parties. The post-election aspect of the accord is also a sort of a roadmap for the peace process, and represents a commitment from the NLD if it does win another term in office..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-18
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Title: COVID-19 Is Just the Latest Setback in Myanmar’s Troubled Peace Process
Description: "In the early weeks of 2020, the signs pointed to progress in Myanmar’s convoluted effort to finally end 70 years of ethnic strife in its border areas. On Jan. 8, representatives from the government and the 10 ethnic armies that are party to a 2015 cease-fire deal convened in the capital, Naypyidaw, where they reached an eight-point agreement on the next steps to continue implementing that cease-fire. They also vowed to meet for a fourth national peace conference by the end of April, to build on three earlier summits held between 2016 and 2018. That fourth summit would have signaled the timely revitalization of Myanmar’s troubled peace process, which Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto leader, has dubbed the “21st Century Panglong,” after the agreement that her father, independence hero Aung San, signed with representatives of several ethnic groups in 1947. Making progress in the peace talks after several recent setbacks would have provided a boost to Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy, as they prepare for a general election later this year. But plans for the peace conference now threaten to be derailed by the coronavirus pandemic. Myanmar confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 on March 23, prompting the government and ethnic armed groups to postpone all meetings and push the summit back to July. Government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters on May 30 that the government still plans to hold the summit next month, albeit with strict social distancing measures in place and a reduced number of delegates. Myanmar currently has some 230 official cases of COVID-19. July may represent the last chance to restart talks this year, with elections looming. The government has effectively ruled out holding the summit during the election campaign, set to run for 90 days between August and October..."
Source/publisher: "World Politics Review (WPR)"
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-09
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Title: Myanmar Army Rejects Cease-fire Proposal From Arakan Army And Allies
Description: "The Myanmar military has rejected a proposal by three ethnic armies to begin cease-fire talks in a bid to kick-start the country’s stalled peace process, instead vowing further retaliation for armed offensives and ambushes, a military spokesman said Tuesday. The Brotherhood Alliance of ethnic armies — the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) — extended the invitation to begin peace talks in a statement issued Monday. De facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s four-year-old government has long sought to end Myanmar’s multiple ethnic wars with historic peace talks. But those talks have sputtered, while only 10 of the country’s 20-some ethnic armies have signed a 2015 nationwide cease-fire pact that is seen as the foundation of peace talks. The Brotherhood Alliance trio, which has not signed the agreement, also announced Monday that it was extending a current unilateral cease-fire from June 1 to Aug. 31, and issued an appeal for both sides to protect civilians, end the civil war, and assist with coronavirus prevention activities. The announcement came three days after the AA launched a retaliatory attack on a border guard outpost in Rakhine state, killing four policemen and capturing six others. The AA also seized three family members of the officers, but later released them. The AA ambushed the outpost to strike back at government soldiers for an attack on the AA in Paletwa township of abutting Chin state, which the AA also claims as its territory. In March, the Myanmar government declared the AA, a predominantly Buddhist force that seeks greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhine people in the state, an illegal association and terrorist group — raising the stakes in a conflict that begin with AA attacks on government border posts in late 2018 and early 2019..."
Source/publisher: "Radio Free Asia (RFA)" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-03
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Title: The Role of CSOs in the Myanmar Peace Process
Description: "This report is the culmination of a year-long research project into the activities of civil society in and around the ongoing Myanmar peace process. This includes the negotiations taking place in the Union Peace Conference (UPC, also known as the 21st Century Panglong Conference (UPC/21st CPC) the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), and the Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM). It also includes civil society peacebuilding outside of the peace negotiations and parallel structures. The research project aimed to identify: • the drivers of conflict in Myanmar, • the civil society actors involved in peacebuilding in Myanmar, • the types of peacebuilding activities performed by these CSOs, and to classify these activities into types, • the contributions of these activities to official and unofficial peacebuilding, • as well as any factors enabling and constraining civil society peacebuilding. The research was funded by the Joint Peace Fund Myanmar, and was conducted in partnership between the Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation (EMReF) and the Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative (IPTI). The research team conducted interviews with 160 individuals from 123 organizations, including from civil society (including CSO networks and local and international CSOs), donors, members of parliament, as well as representatives of EAOs, members of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), members of political parties, and government representatives. The CSO sample was built by asking CSOs to nominate other CSOs working on peacebuilding, hence the sample is shaped by these individuals’ understanding of peacebuilding in Myanmar. The research was guided by the Civil Society and Peacebuilding (CS&PB) framework, developed by Paffenholz and colleagues. In the context of Myanmar, the term peace process is generally used to refer to a sequence of high-level peace negotiations and associated consultations and other supporting institutions. This process began in 2011, under the government of U Thein Sein, and led to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015. The structure and sequence of the current negotiations were set out in the NCA and the Framework for Political Dialogue (also negotiated and signed in 2015). These negotiations are projected to lead to a permanent ceasefire, disarmament and demobilization of non-state armed groups, government and constitutional reforms. Since 2015, the main forum for these negotiations has been the UPC (21st CPC). The UPDJC acts as the secretariat for the UPC and has responsibility for important aspects of the process such as pre-negotiations and consensus building on issues to be brought before the UPC. This means that many issues are essentially decided by the UPDJC, with the UPC frequently acting to confirm decisions taken in the UPDJC (although this is not the sum total of its role).. The Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM), is the “consensus committee” for the UPDJC. It takes responsibility for issues that cannot be resolved in the UPDJC. Together,these three institutions make up track 1: the official or mainstream peace process. While this research framework places the mainstream peace process as the“center” of peacebuilding activity,this is more in the interest of conceptual clarity. Peacebuilding away from the negotiation table can be equally important..."
Source/publisher: JPF via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-02
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Title: Myanmar’s Meaningless Unilateral Ceasefires
Sub-title: The many unilateral ceasefires seem meaningless — they have not stopped or even lessened the fighting so far.
Description: "In Myanmar, unilateral ceasefires have been interchangeably announced by the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) and a group of ethnic armed groups – known as the Northern Alliance – composed of the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The first unilateral ceasefire was announced by Tatmadaw on December 21, 2018. The Northern Alliance followed by announcing their first truce on September 9, 2019, after the Tatmadaw extended the truce for a third time. Both sides have announced unilateral ceasefires five times so far (See the table below). The unilateral ceasefires of both parties look to cover plenty of days as they announced them at different times. However, the simultaneous ceasefires, covering both sides, are limited in duration. The total length of simultaneous ceasefires – in September 2019 and May 2020 – is only 33 days. (See the illustration below). But even during the unilateral ceasefire periods, the Tatmadaw and Northern Alliance could not managed to lessen or stop the fighting. Instead, tit-for-tat fighting raged on in Shan, Chin, and Rakhine states. Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month. Although the country is grappling with the global coronavirus pandemic, the fighting between the Tatmadaw and AA in Chin and Rakhine states continues and has produced thousands of displaced persons. In addition to the AA, the Tatmadaw has clashed with the Karen National Union (KNU) that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in October 2015..."
Source/publisher: "The Diplomat" (Japan)
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-30
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Title: China flips the electoral script in Myanmar
Sub-title: Suu Kyi is now close to old adversary China while long-ruling military is skeptical of Beijing's intent ahead of pivotal polls
Description: "Elections are scheduled for November in Myanmar, and there is no indication so far that the polls will be postponed due to the Covid-19 crisis. Neither is there much doubt about the outcome. Most political observers believe that State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) will win again, though not in the same landslide fashion as in 2015 as recent by-elections show she and her party have lost significant support in ethnic areas. But the bigger electoral question is how her party’s delicate relationship with the autonomous military will play out and in that context how her government’s ties to its powerful northern neighbor China will be portrayed and potentially politicized on the campaign trail. An entirely new paradigm has emerged in Myanmar, one where Suu Kyi is now seen as a trusted ally of Beijing and the military as a nationalistic bulwark against China’s strong advances. That’s a significant reversal, one that could have implications for stability in the lead-up to polls. When Suu Kyi was under house arrest during military rule or active in non-parliamentary politics, China viewed the long-time pro-democracy icon with suspicion. That was at least in part because her late British husband, a Tibetologist, maintained ties with many Tibetans in exile..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-26
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Title: Myanmar: A Violent Push to Shake Up Ceasefire Negotiations
Sub-title: A trio of ethnic armed groups have escalated their fight with the military in Myanmar’s Shan State. This alliance has long been outside the country’s peace process. With China’s help, the government should pursue bilateral ceasefires – and longer-term rapprochement – with the three organisations.
Description: "What’s new? On 15 August, an alliance of ethnic armed groups staged coordinated attacks against strategic targets in northern Myanmar. The offensive left up to fifteen people dead, and clashes reportedly continue in the northern part of Shan State, creating concerns for civilians’ safety. Why did it happen? The three ethnic armed groups behind the attacks have been largely excluded from the peace process for the past five years. In recent months, the government has proposed bilateral ceasefires to the groups but has set unrealistic demands and accompanied the offers with military pressure. Why does it matter? The attacks mark a serious escalation in Shan State’s conflict. They represent a rejection of bilateral ceasefire terms that the Myanmar government has proposed to the armed groups. While the Myanmar military has not yet responded with significant force, the brunt of mounting violence will inevitably fall on civilians. What should be done? Both the Myanmar military and the armed groups should exercise restraint, allow humanitarian agencies to safely provide assistance and pursue ceasefire talks. The military and government should review their earlier ceasefire proposal, while China should continue to use its influence in Myanmar to encourage an end to the fighting...Overview On 15 August, a trio of ethnic armed groups calling themselves the Brotherhood Alliance staged coordinated attacks on targets in Myanmar’s Mandalay Region and Shan State, killing up to fifteen people, mostly soldiers and police officers. Clashes have recurred daily across northern Shan State since then, resulting in combatant deaths on both sides as well as civilian fatalities. The alliance – comprising the Arakan Army (AA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) – said it mounted the attacks in response to military aggression in both Rakhine and northern Shan States. The three groups had been negotiating bilateral ceasefires with the government that would have brought them into the broader peace process for the first time. However, unrealistic demands from Naypyitaw have undermined those negotiations, and the attacks represent a rejection of the government’s proposed terms. The government and military should moderate those terms, notably by abandoning their insistence that the groups give up territory they have acquired over the past five years. The attacks on 15 August hit a Myanmar military training academy, a bridge and police outpost on an important highway, a military battalion and a narcotics control checkpoint. Myanmar’s military has alleged that they were payback for a recent raid on a drug production lab in northern Shan State. It says the key target was a narcotics control unit situated on the main highway running from Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city, to the border with China..."
Source/publisher: "International Crisis Group (ICG)" (Belgium)
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-21
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Title: Background paper for Myanmar and foreign aid – recent changes, risk and opportunity
Description: "...This paper gives an overview of politics and development in Myanmar. It places recent political changes in their historical context, focusing in particular on minority conflicts as well as the national context. The role that international aid agencies can play is explored, offering recommendations for policy and practice. There is a risk that pressure to build good relations with the government and to spend pledged funds will lead donors to overlook significant ongoing problems in conflict-affected border areas and elsewhere in Myanmar. Yet the right kind of foreign aid, implemented in the right way, can play a potentially useful role in supporting peace, justice and development. Donors need to learn from experience elsewhere, recognising that many challenges will arise over the coming years despite recent reforms. By building a careful understanding of Myanmar's political economy at the local and national levels, and incrementally establishing programmes, they will be able to build domestic capacity in support of sustainable peace and poverty reduction. Continued engagement can generate opportunities for astutely promoting international standards including human rights..."
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-16
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Title: Myanmar military denies KNU claim of force build-up
Description: "The Myanmar military has denied a Karen National Union (KNU) claim they have been building up their troop deployment in Hpapun district of Kayin State. A statement dated May 15 issued by the KNU claims the Tatmadaw (government forces) are building up their forces in the area controlled by 2nd, 5th and 7th Brigades of its military wing Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). In this statement, the KNU claims that in exploitation of the current ceasefire between them, the Tatmadaw is building up their forces especially in Mu Kyaw district (Hpapun district) controlled by 5th Brigade of the KNU and adjoining areas controlled by 2nd and 7th Brigades. It also says that the building up of forces up to twice normal strength and building new outposts in these areas undermine the confidence building which is crucial for strengthening the ceasefire. KNU General Secretary Pado Saw Tado Mu said, “There are two parts. The first part is building outposts. In this part, there are new more outposts including the BGF (Border Guard Force). And another part is personnel deployed at these outposts. We found that more personnel were sent and deployed at these outposts. And then they deployed more heavy weapons such as howitzers that were never deployed in these areas. This is not a good trend for us. It is the significant things which can be pointed out.” Tatmadaw True New Information Team Secretary Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said that they did not send and deploy any more troops and any more new heavy weapons in these areas but their military columns which were performing their security duty were attacked by sniper fire from KNU troops. “Firstly, I’d like to say, they claimed they opened COVID-19 checkpoints and then they shot at our military columns with sniper fire in Hpapun. Secondly, we absolutely did not do anything in sending and deploying more troops and new heavy weapons in the areas controlled by their 2nd, 5th and 7th Brigades as they are claiming. We have already had Joint Monitoring Committee - State-level (JMC-S). I would like to say it will be more helpful for both sides and ongoing peace process if we can resolve this issue through dialogue. There is absolutely no military buildup as they claim.” Although the Tatmadaw said disputes between two sides could be resolved through JMC-S mechanism, ethnic armed groups said that this JMC mechanism was not practical and workable and called for it to be rectified. KNU General Secretary Pado Saw Tar Doe Mu said that peace process was currently stalled because of COVID-19 pandemic and dialogue between them had difficulties so that they were trying to explore means to resolve this incident..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-16
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Title: What Does COVID-19 Mean for Myanmar’s Peace Process?
Description: "Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, the panel will participate in discussions from home via videoconferencing like we did on last week’s program. We’ll discuss the prospects for peace in Myanmar amid the COVID-19 pandemic and whether mutual understanding can be built between ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) themselves and between EAOs and the Tatmadaw [the Myanmar military]. Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Karen National Union (KNU) Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung has joined me from his home in Su Taung Pyae Village of [Ayeyarwady Region’s] Pantanaw Township. I’m The Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni.The President’s Office issued a statement on Tuesday, forming a coordinating committee to work with EAOs to contain the spread of COVID-19 in ethnic areas. Clashes between the Tatmadaw and EAOs have decreased in most of the conflict zones except in Rakhine State. There has been no fighting in the Palaung area [in Shan State, also known as the Ta’ang people] where fierce clashes took place recently and the fight against COVID-19 is taking priority. The government has adopted a “no one left behind” policy to fight COVID-19 everywhere in its territory, aiming to tackle the pandemic together with the EAOs. My understanding is that the government has formed the coordinating committee to implement that policy. There are previous examples that show an understanding could be built during crisis and peace could be achieved after the crisis is over. In a recent example, the legacy of the tsunami brought peace between the Indonesian military and rebels in Aceh in 2004. Do you expect the cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 will boost the prospects for peace in Myanmar?..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-04
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Title: Cardinal Bo appeals for ceasefire in Myanmar
Sub-title: Myanmar Cardinal Charles Bo is backing a call by the United Nations chief and Pope Francis for a global ceasefire, including in Myanmar.
Description: "As the entire world is currently engaged in a war against a deadly invisible enemy that is taking lives across the globe in tens of thousands, Myanmar’s military has been ramping up its offensive against the country’s armed ethnic militias. This is why the country’s cardinal is raising his voice again, lending support to the call by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Francis, for a global ceasefire, in favour of humanity’s more urgent war against the Covid-19 virus. With conflict Myanmar is vulnerable “The pandemic’s consequences are catastrophic for public health and for social and economic life. This is no time to escalate the conflict,” urges Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon, in a statement released on Wednesday. “I am convinced that continued military operations, precisely when the whole nation is suffering a crisis, will have catastrophic consequences for our nation,” warns the cardinal, who is also President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC)..."
Source/publisher: "Vatican News"
Date of entry/update: 2020-04-27
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Title: Tatmadaw holds press conference on drug seizures, ceasefire, Covid-19
Description: "...THE Tatmadaw True News Team held a press conference at the Defence Services Museum in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. Chairperson of the team Maj-Gen Soe Naing Oo, Vice Chairperson Maj-Gen Tun Tun Nyi, Secretary Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun and officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) clarified confiscations of arms and ammunitions from 28 February to 16 March near Lwal Kham village in Kutkai Township, about K 315 billion worth of narcotic drugs and related items, peace-making efforts in 2020, and thwarting AA groups in their attempts to control a military post in Rakhine over 40 days..."
Source/publisher: The Global New Light of Myanmar, 2020
Date of entry/update: 2020-04-25
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Title: Conference Report Power, Welfare and Democracy Lessons from Indonesia in Comparative Perspectives, especially Myanmar and Scandinavia
Description: "Scholars at the University of Oslo (Norway) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) have since 2012 conducted collaborative research on “Power, Welfare and Democracy (PWD)”, based on previous studies with research organisations in civil society, and funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Jakarta. The PWD project has examined the character and challenges of democratisation in Indonesia, and how it relates to power relations and social welfare in society. The project has included a baseline survey on the development of democracy; a thematic study on politics of citizenship; a thematic study on welfare regimes; a thematic study on local regimes; and comparative anthropological studies of UN-REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). As this research project comes to an end in 2017, a two-days conference will be held at the University of Oslo to summarise major findings and to discuss the implications for domestic and international policy making..."
Source/publisher: University of Oslo (Norway)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-29
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Title: Fighting between RCSS and Tatmadaw still raging
Description: "Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) spokesman Col. Sai Om Kay said that they had been fighting with the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) on Loi Tuan Mountain, Mong Kong Township, southern Shan State on February 27 in the morning and the fighting between them was still raging until today. The fighting started with artillery fire on February 27 at about 8 a.m. and the fighting is reportedly still raging fiercely until the afternoon of February 28. “The fighting was almost all day yesterday and now Tatmadaw is still firing intermittent fire of heavy weapons,” spokesman Col. Sai Om Kay said, referring to Thursday. The RCSS/SSA said that four battalions with approximate strength of 400 personnel had an engagement with RCSS troops in Loi Tuan pass in Mong Kong Township, southern Shan State and it was started by firing heavy weapons and the fighting was fierce. Shan State legislative Assembly legislator from Mong Kong constituency (1) Sai Pan said that they heard the firing of heavy weapons and they had to watch and monitor the fighting between these two armies. “They fought yesterday and today. We could hear weapons firing until this afternoon. We cannot get accurate information on this battle as they fought in the jungle but nearby villages said that they heard heavy weapons fire,” he said. Political analyst Than Soe Naing said that the fighting between them appeared because of lack of trust building between them and having suspicion against each other though they had territory demarcation between them..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-29
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Title: Myanmar’s Transition to Democracy: Challenges Ahead
Description: "Myanmar’s history has been intertwined with the issues of postcolonial state building since it gained independence from British colonialism in January 1948. The policies and administration pursued by the British proved instrumental in deterioration of contact and cooperation between the diverse ethnic peoples of Myanmar while ethnic conflict was fostered. 1 The historical struggles of ethnic minorities for recognition and representation are vital to understanding the current transition to democracy and struggles for legitimacy in Myanmar. Undoubtedly, the initial phase of independent Myanmar, following the assassination of General Aung San on the eve of independence, was characterized by unstable but occasionally democratic governments punctuated by interventions by the Myanmar military. The last significant bid for democracy ended, however, following a military coup by General Ne Win on 2 March 1962. 2 The new military ruler led the country, first under his Revolutionary Council and then under his Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), into a 26-year era of isolation following his ‘Burmese way to socialism’, an admixture of Buddhist, Marxist and nationalist principles that ethnic minorities in the country interpreted as ‘Burmanization’, which saw Myanmar decline “from a country once regarded as amongst the most fertile and mineral rich in Asia to one of the world’s 10 poorest nations.”3..."
Source/publisher: Southeast Asia Research Centre (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-27
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Title: New age rebels winning the fight in Myanmar
Sub-title: Arakan Army's highly mobile and lethal tactics have made a mockery of government's peace process
Description: "As Myanmar’s government sues for peace, its autonomous military, the Tatmadaw, faces a new type of insurgency it seems increasingly ill-prepared to counter and combat. Myanmar’s “new” insurgents are highly mobile and, unlike the country’s older generation rebel groups, maintain few fixed positions, using instead hit-and-run attacks that have rendered the Tatmadaw’s traditional frontal assaults increasingly ineffective. The situation is in many ways similar to the one the United States faced in the Vietnam War: an invisible enemy which strikes from the shadows, making counterattacks more likely to hit civilians than enemy combatants. That’s all conspiring to undermine the Tatmadaw’s leverage and clout against ethnic armed groups that rely on local population support to sustain their insurgent fights. Previously, Myanmar’s myriad rebel groups aimed to control large swathes of territory protected by fixed and often well-armed installations. The Karen National Union (KNU), long firmly entrenched on the Thai border, maintained several bases along the Moei river and a well-fortified headquarters with permanent buildings housing its civilian administration and military command units..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-24
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Title: Military Capitalism in Myanmar: Examining the Origins, Continuities and Evolution of "Khaki Capital" (ISEAS Trends, 2019)
Description: "Military enterprises, ostensibly set up to feed and supply soldiers,were some of the earliest and largest Burmese commercialconglomerates, established in the 1950s. Union Myanmar EconomicHoldings Limited (UMEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) are two profit-seeking military enterprises established by the military after the dissolution of the Burma Socialist Programme Party in 1988, which remain central players in Myanmar’s post-2011 economy.• Military conglomerates are a major source of off-budget revenuefor the military and a main employer of retired soldiers. Yet few veterans receive more than a small piece of the profits from UMEHL. The vast bulk of formal dividends instead disproportionately benefit higher ranking officers and institutions within the Tatmadaw. Military capitalism entrenches the autonomy of the Tatmadawfrom civilian oversight. Despite this, obligatory or semi-coerced contributions from active-duty soldiers are a source of cash fow for UMEHL, effectively constituting a transfer from the government budget to the military’s off-budget entities. The most significant source of livelihoods support for most veterans is the service pension dispersed by the Ministry of Finance and Planning (MoPF).• Despite delivering suboptimal welfare outcomes for most soldiers and veterans while eroding the legitimacy of ceasefires, successive governments since 1988, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s NationalLeague for Democracy (NLD) administration, have entrenched military capitalism by encouraging commercial activities of armed groups that enter into ceasefire agreements..."
Source/publisher: Yusof Ishak Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-23
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Title: Shan Armed Group May Sign Myanmar’s Nationwide Ceasefire
Description: "A northern Shan rebel armed group, the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), says they may sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) this year if necessary to work with the Myanmar government towards political reform. SSPP leaders held a meeting from Feb. 4-18 at their headquarters in Wang Hai, northern Shan State, to discuss the possibility of signing the NCA and finding compromises with the Myanmar government. “If we need to sign [the NCA] for our group, we will do it. But first we want to discuss it with our members of our alliance,” said SSPP Colonel Sai Su. The NCA was first signed in October 2015. Col. Sai Su also said that if the government and the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, are wise, they will choose to compromise with the ethnic armed group coalition known as the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) and all of its members will sign the NCA. The FPNCC includes the SSPP, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), Mong La’s National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Kokang’s Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA). According to the SSPP, the FPNCC does not have a common stand on signing the NCA and the groups need more time to discuss it. Col. Sai Su said that if the SSPP signs the NCA, they will explain the decision to ethnic Shan people. The SSPP was a member of the now-defunct United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), which worked to draft the NCA, but resigned from the group in 2017. The SSPP then joined the FPNCC, which continues to negotiate with the Myanmar government regarding the NCA..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand) via reliefweb (New York)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-21
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Title: Pulling the strings
Sub-title: Masculinities, gender and social conflict in Myanmar
Description: "The Union of Myanmar is a complex country context marked by ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity. It has been affected by decades of an authoritarian, isolationist regime and numerous interconnected conflicts, ranging from national-level ethnic political and armed conflicts and a pro-democracy struggle, to broader social-level land conflicts. It has also seen conflicts at the household level, such as domestic violence. In Myanmar, as in other countries, these numerous forms of violence affect men, women, boys, girls and those with diverse gender identities in different ways. There is increasing awareness that gender is important in understanding conflict and working towards peace and social cohesion. A growing number of development programmes are dedicated to addressing this. In practice, such programmes have largely focused on women’s participation in political and peacebuilding processes. This focus on increasing women’s meaningful participation in arenas and activities formerly dominated by men is an important aspect of peacebuilding. However, there is another ‘side’ to the gender inequality dilemma, which is less well understood – one that deals with the experiences of men and boys. Social expectations around masculinity are often overlooked (or oversimplified). Masculinities, that is, the social expectations of men to act or behave in certain ways because they are men, can be drivers of conflict or violence. However, limiting work on this to ‘men-engage’-type approaches focusing mainly on mobilising men to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) can mean overlooking how social expectations of masculinities can also lead to increased vulnerability for men and boys, which is often not recognised or addressed by peacebuilding programming. Understanding masculinities is important, because these masculinity norms – these social expectations – can be mobilised to manipulate the taking of violent actions. For instance, society may invoke the expectations on men to be protectors of their community from perceived external threats, including land confiscations for development projects. Where this means confronting more powerful actors such as state agencies, frustration and pressures can turn into violent action..."
Source/publisher: Paung Sie Facility, International Alert (London), Phan Tee Eain
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-17
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Title: The Role of CSOs in the Myanmar Peace Process
Description: "This report is the culmination of a year-long research project into the activities of civil society in and around the ongoing Myanmar peace process. This includes the negotiations taking place in the Union Peace Conference (UPC, also known as the 21st Century Panglong Conference (UPC/21st CPC) the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), and the Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM). It also includes civil society peacebuilding outside of the peace negotiations and parallel structures. The research project aimed to identify: • the drivers of confict in Myanmar, • the civil society actors involved in peacebuilding in Myanmar, • the types of peacebuilding activities performed by these CSOs, and to classify these activities into types, • the contributions of these activities to ofcial and unofcial peacebuilding, • as well as any factors enabling and constraining civil society peacebuilding. The research was funded by the Joint Peace Fund Myanmar, and was conducted in partnership between the Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation (EMReF) and the Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative (IPTI).3 The research team conducted interviews with 160 individuals from 123 organizations, including from civil society (including CSO networks and local and international CSOs), donors, members of parliament, as well as representatives of EAOs, members of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), members of political parties, and government representatives.4 The CSO sample was built by asking CSOs to nominate other CSOs working on peacebuilding, hence the sample is shaped by these individuals’ understanding of peacebuilding in Myanmar. The research was guided by the Civil Society and Peacebuilding (CS&PB) framework, developed by Pafenholz and colleagues.5 In the context of Myanmar, the term peace process is generally used to refer to a sequence of high-level peace negotiations and associated consultations and other supporting institutions. This process began in 2011, under the government of U Thein Sein, and led to the Nationwide Ceasefre Agreement (NCA) in 2015. The structure and sequence of the current negotiations were set out in the NCA and the Framework for Political Dialogue (also negotiated and signed in 2015). These negotiations are projected to lead to a permanent ceasefre, disarmament and demobilization of non-state armed groups, government and constitutional reforms. Since 2015, the main forum for these negotiations has been the UPC (21st CPC). The UPDJC acts as the secretariat for the UPC and has responsibility for important aspects of the process such as pre-negotiations and consensus building on issues to be brought before the UPC. This means that many issues are essentially decided by the UPDJC, with the UPC frequently acting to confrm decisions taken in the UPDJC (although this is not the sum total of its role)..."
Source/publisher: Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation (EMReF) (Yangon) and Inclusive Peace & Transition Initiative
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-17
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Title: Schedule Two of the 2008 Constitution
Sub-title: Avenues for reform and decentralization and steps towards a federal system.
Description: "Ever since the Panglong Agreement was signed on February 12, 1947, only two weeks after the Aung San - Attlee Agreement on Burma’s Independence of January 27, 1947, the issues of federalism, minority rights and self-determination have been central to Myanmar politics, confict and military-civilian relations. Accordingly, relations between the center and the periphery are at the core of the constitutions of 1947 and 1974, as well as the 2008 Constitution. Yet, by any standards, the Myanmar state has been unitary, and indeed centralized to an extreme degree, since independence in 1948, leading to 70 years of confict. To a large degree, the confict explains the other defning trait of the Myanmar state: for most of the last seven decades, it has been dominated by the military. Relations between the military and state institutions have been shaped by the relationship between the central government and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs). The issues of democracy, federalism and the role of the military cannot be separated, and together they form the basis for modern Myanmar politics. In this context, it is not surprising that organizations representing the interests of ethnic nationalities spent the last two decades of military rule, after the emergence of the democracy movement of 1988 and the NLD’s victory in the 1990 elections, calling for a “tripartite dialogue” among the NLD, the military and themselves. It is no coincidence that these were also the decades when the military was drafting the 2008 Constitution. The current peace process was initiated by President U Thein Sein in 2011, the year Myanmar embarked on its transition to democracy. Although democracy and the pursuit of peace are undoubtedly two of Myanmar’s most pressing issues, the fact that two distinct processes – which will be referred to in this paper as the political process and the peace process – developed from there raises a number of issues..."
Source/publisher: Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung Ltd (Yangon)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-17
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Title: Unlocking Civil Society and Peace in Myanmar
Description: "Civil Society: Civil Society is defined broadly as the space between the family and the state, but does not include political parties, professional unions and associations, private businesses, and Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs). For the purpose of this Discussion Paper, research was directed predominantly, but not entirely, to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) at Union and sub-national level and their emerging networks. Research also included ethnic literature and culture associations. It is important to note that many people “wear several hats” in Myanmar, meaning that the affiliations of individuals are not always limited to one organisation. The roles of as key stakeholders often change roles over time. Due to their importance in Myanmar, faith-based networks are also included in civil society. Civil society is not synonymous with communities. It is inherently heterogeneous; its diversity relates to a range of different ethnic, linguistic, religious, gender, and class identities among which ethnicity stands out as a particularly prominent marker of identity in Myanmar. Social cohesion: A cohesive society is one that works towards the wellbeing of all, creates a sense of belonging, promotes trust, and offers everyone the opportunity to prosper and advance peacefully. Peacebuilding: Peacebuilding is defined as initiatives that foster and support sustainable structures and processes that strengthen the prospects for peaceful coexistence and decrease the likelihood of the outbreak, reoccurrence, or continuation of violent conflict.1 Within this Paper, civil society engagement in peacebuilding refers to civil society-led initiatives that seek mitigate inter- or intra- ethnic, faith, and communal tensions and promote social cohesion. Peace process: For the purposes of this research, the ‘peace process’ is defined as the national tri-lateral negotiations related to the ethnic armed conflict. Peace process architecture relates to government-led initiatives since 2011, spanning bi-lateral ceasefires, the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), the Union Peace Conferences (UPCs), Joint Monitoring Committees (JMCs), and the national dialogue process. For the purpose of this Paper, participation in the peace process has been categorised into direct participation (contribution to decision-making and supporting roles within peace architecture), and indirect contributions, which are equally critical, that lie outside of the peace process and political structures. Gender: The socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that determine our understanding of masculinity and femininity. The question of gender difference and the construction of masculine and feminine is not universal, but culturally specific and strongly influenced by other factors such as ethnicity, religion, race, and class.2 Youth: Myanmar’s National Youth Policy defines young people as between the ages of 15-35. The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250 considers young people to fall between 18-29 years..."
Source/publisher: Paung Sie Facility
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-15
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Title: Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi Decries ‘Political Problems’ Behind Failure to Settle Ethnic Wars
Description: "Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Wednesday that the country’s unresolved political problems are the root cause of failure to end hostilities between the government military and ethnic armed groups as Myanmar continues to strive for permanent peace. “The governments of the successive periods have tried their best to put an end to the armed conflicts and restore peace to our motherland, but have not yet achieved the goals of peace,” she said in her capacity as chairperson of the Central Committee for the Development of Border Areas and National Races at the 73rd Union Day ceremony in Panglong, also known as Pinlon, in Myanmar’s southern Shan state. As state counselor, Aung San Suu Kyi has made ending Myanmar’s armed conflicts and forging peace the cornerstone of her administration, but the peace process has been stymied by ongoing fighting between Myanmar forces and rebel armies in outlying ethnic regions and by the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state. Her civilian-led government has held three sessions of the 21st-Century Panglong Conference attended by delegates from the government, military, and ethnic armed organizations..."
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-14
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Title: sidelined or reinventing themselves?
Sub-title: Exiled Activists in Myanmar's Political Reforms
Description: "Myanmar’s tumultuous post-colonial history has been characterized by decades of direct and indirect military rule and corresponding political mobilizations that have ranged from armed ethnic and ideological insurgencies to mass protests, student movements, and non-violent pro-democracy uprisings. The nationalization and mismanagement of the economy, the militarization of the state, political surveillance and oppression, and the closure of universities are all factors that have triggered the flight from Burma of millions of Burmese. Several main waves of exit can be distinguished, following major political events—(1) the 1962 military coup; (2) the installation of direct rule by the Burma Socialist Programme Party in 1974 and the U Thant funeral crisis; (3) the 1988 mass uprisings; and (4) the 2007 “Saffron Revolution” protests, respectively. The largest o the extreme sensitivity surrounding this subject, in the past very few organizations inside Myanmar were able to operate openly on human rights issues. Exile organizations based in Thailand and India are widening the scope of their existing capacity-building initiatives for the documentation of local human rights issues and improving the knowledge and skills of those who defend human rights, while also expanding their (underground and above-ground) networks across the country..."
Source/publisher: Kerstin Duell
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-10
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Title: Myanmar’s Top-Down Transition: Challenges for Civil Society
Summary: "The political landscape of Myanmar has changed signifcantly since former dictator Than Shwe paved the way for a series of wide‐ranging reforms in 2011. A nominally civilian government was sworn in...
Description: "The political landscape of Myanmar has changed signifcantly since former dictator Than Shwe paved the way for a series of wide‐ranging reforms in 2011. A nominally civilian government was sworn in and political prisoners were freed. Most visibly, long‐term opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has ascended to power after her long‐banned opposition party – the National League of Democracy (NLD) – won the historic elections of 2015 by a wide margin. The country’s vibrant civil society also benefted from the lifting of restrictive laws on media and public mobilisation. Despite these remarkable transformations, Myanmar’s transition has seemingly slowed down and the space for progressive social and political action has contracted once again. Particularly worrying is the situation in the country’s borderlands, where long‐running sectarian conficts have escalated since 2011. In order to understand the challenges that persisting authoritarianism, state violence, and civil war pose to civil society in Myanmar, this article situates contemporary social and political action within a historical analysis of political transition. It asks about: (a) the nature of political transition in Myanmar, (b) the challenges that the trajectory of political transition poses for civil society actors, and (c) the implications for international development and peace‐building initiatives. This article argues that Myanmar’s political transition should not be understood as a process of democratisation that is driven by pro‐democratic forces and which might eventually lead to liberal democracy. Viewing the country’s transition through the lens of democratisation is not only misleading but deeply problematic. Political reforms were planned and executed by the country’s military: the Tatmadaw. The emergent hybrid civil–military order safeguards authoritarian rule and military dominance. This top‐down nature of political transition poses signifcant challenges for civil society. In combination with fragility and confict, liberalising the public sphere has not only benefted progressive social and political action but has also enabled the growth of uncivil society,3 whose pursuit of exclusionary identity politics fuels sectarian violence..."
Source/publisher: IDS Bulletin
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-09
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Title: Resistance Struggle Not Over Yet for Myanmar’s Karen, KNU Chief Says
Summary: "The Karen revolutionary struggle is not over, as the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and the political dialogue it calls for have yet to be implemented, Karen National Union chairman General...
Description: "The Karen revolutionary struggle is not over, as the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and the political dialogue it calls for have yet to be implemented, Karen National Union chairman General Mutu Say Poe said in an address to his fellow Karen to commemorate the annual Karen Revolution Day. Friday marked the 71st anniversary of the beginning of the ethnic Karen revolutionary movement in 1949 following the central government’s denunciation of the group as an unlawful organization after months of protests demanding equality for the Karen people. “Currently, we are still in the mode of revolutionary resistance,” the chairman said in his address on Friday, citing a lack of progress in the peace process. The Karen resistance movement has long demanded basic rights, equality and self-determination. The KNU is the most senior of Myanmar’s various ethnic armed groups, having resisted central government control for seven decades. Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, the vice chairman of the KNU, said the group had waged a 63-year campaign of armed resistance because previous governments had ignored its call to resolve the Karen people’s political demands peacefully, through political dialogue. He said the previous governments and junta had only agreed to discuss a ceasefire, not to hold political dialogue..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-01
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Title: KNU Denies Targeting Myanmar Military Officer Killed in Mine Blast
Summary: "The Myanmar military has accused the Karen National Union of using an anti-vehicle mine to kill a battalion commander in a targeted attack in Karen State’s Papun Township on Monday, an allegation...
Description: "The Myanmar military has accused the Karen National Union of using an anti-vehicle mine to kill a battalion commander in a targeted attack in Karen State’s Papun Township on Monday, an allegation the KNU denied. The commander was serving as part of a unit providing security for a road-building project that the KNU opposes. Lieutenant Colonel Aung Kyaw Soe, commander of Light Infantry Battalion No. 708, died when the anti-vehicle mine exploded at 3 p.m. on Jan. 27 near Nat Taung Village in Papun, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw). The following day, military vehicles transporting goods to security forces and engineers constructing roads in the area were hit by anti-vehicle mine blasts near Muthae Village in Kyauk Kyi Township, Bago Region. The military said the attack damaged a vehicle and its shipment of rice. Brig-Gen. Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, “The mine that killed the commander on Monday was planted in the middle of the road and was detonated in a targeted attack.” “[The KNU] should refrain from such actions. If not, we will have to act for security reasons,” he said..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-31
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Title: Rights Group Finds Myanmar Makes No Headway Curbing Abuses by Military
Description: "Myanmar’s military continued to carry out serious human rights violations in 2019, while the government made no progress addressing the pervasive impunity of soldiers who committed abuses, London-based Amnesty International said Thursday in a new report on repression in Asia. The military’s violations included war crimes in Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan states where government forces have been engaged in armed conflict with ethnic armed groups, the rights organization said. Civilians, state lawmakers, and local officials have reported soldiers detaining and sometimes torturing villagers suspected of aiding the enemy or of being rebel fighters themselves in the conflict zones, especially in northern Rakhine state. “The military committed serious violations against civilians, including unlawful attacks, arbitrary arrests, torture and other illtreatment, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and forced labor” in Rakhine state, where government forces have fought the rebel Arakan Army (AA) in heightened hostilities over the past year, the report said. “Many of them constituted war crimes,” it said..."
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-31
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Title: Myanmar’s peace god
Sub-title: The guns of civil conflict fell silent during the visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping – a pause in fighting that not even State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi can achieve.
Description: "WEEKS before the visit by President Xi Jinping, local media outlets were focusing on the relationship between China and Myanmar. I especially enjoyed two cartoons drawn by Myanmar cartoonists before Xi arrived. One showed a fat Chinese man dressed in red talking to three men sitting on the floor. “When we visit, we don’t want to hear any noises,” he’s saying. The three men, who are wearing uniforms and have rifles beside them, reply, “Yes”. The other cartoon is in two blocks, one above the other. The top one shows rats running in circles and antagonising each other. The bottom image shows the rats all smiles with arms around each other’s shoulders as a big red cat clad in the flag of the People’s Republic of China enters the room with a stern expression. Support more independent journalism like this. Sign up to be a Frontier member. The cartoons were caustic comments on the recent quiescence of ethnic armed groups. In the days ahead of Xi’s arrival, the guns of war were indeed silent..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-30
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Title: China’s loose arms still fuel Myanmar’s civil wars
Sub-title: Chinese leader Xi Jinping has vowed to “solve” persistent gunrunning to Myanmar insurgents
Description: "When Chinese President Xi Jinping met Myanmar’s military commander-in-chief Senior General Ming Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw earlier this month, it was not clear which of the two raised the issue first. But side-stepping the 800 pound gorilla in the room — new Chinese weaponry fueling Myanmar’s civil wars — was never going to be an option. Over the past year, those Chinese weapons have cost the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, hundreds of lives. And as the fighting season gathers pace in western Rakhine state, the likelihood of another high death toll in 2020 will cast a long shadow in army circles over the triumphant hailing of a “new era” in Sino-Myanmar amity and cooperation that attended Xi’s historic state visit. Almost certainly not by coincidence, the day before the January 18 meeting – the sixth meeting between Xi and Min Aung Hlaing — the Tatmadaw’s public relations wing ensured that the “discovery” of a rebel cache of Chinese munitions made on January 15 in Hsenwi township in northern Shan state received wide media publicity..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-29
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Title: Myanmar’s National Dialogue Must Be for All NCA Signatories Ahead of Peace Summit, EAOs Say
Summary: "Organizing a national-level political dialogue before the next peace conference will be one of the key issues to discuss during next week’s meeting between the government and the ethnic armed...
Description: "Organizing a national-level political dialogue before the next peace conference will be one of the key issues to discuss during next week’s meeting between the government and the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). The national dialogue began in 2017 but not all the signatories were able to convene. These included the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) because of objections from the Tatmadaw (military) about the location and the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) in Rakhine State, citing security concerns. The RCSS and ALP were missing from the dialogue in 2017 and 2018 and their input was therefore missing from the process to establish a federation. With the formal peace process stalled, the national political dialogue has been abandoned for nearly two years. Sai Ngern, the head of the EAOs’ negotiation team on the political dialogue framework and a secretary of the RCSS, said every NCA signatory “must be able to organize the national-level political dialogue under a new framework”. “We tentatively plan it to be able to hold talks in late March. It will be on the agenda of the talks with the government on Jan. 28-29,” he told reporters after the 10 NCA signatories’ Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) meeting in Chiang Mai on Saturday..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-22
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Title: Rebel Groups Told to Unite to Save Myanmar’s Peace Process
Description: "A week after formal peace negotiations resumed, General Yawd Serk, who represents Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signatories, urged all sides to work collectively to move the peace process forward. The NCA signatories’ Peace Process Steering Team, currently led by Gen. Yawd Serk of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), meets from Friday in Chiang Mai to discuss future tasks in the peace process ahead of the implementation of the eight points agreed at the Joint-Ceasefire Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM). The meeting, a gateway to the formal peace talks, was held on Jan. 8 in Naypyitaw, joining peace negotiators from the ethnic armed organizations that signed the NCA and the government. Gen. Yawd Serk said: “In laying down future tasks, we have to do so in agreement” with the time set by the JICM for the convening of the fourth 21st-century Panglong peace conference, which is scheduled for no later than April. He said reaching “the goal of building a federal Union” depended on the groups’ constant engagement in the peace process and keeping “the affairs of the Union in the forefront, rather than the affairs of one group”..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-20
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Title: THE TIMES THEY ARE NOT CHANGING
Description: "“As ever, it is civilians who bear the brunt of the accompanying abuses that the Myanmar military soldiers inflict on the local populations. Furthermore, they do so with impunity. Documented for decades, yet without any real change, the Myanmar military which commit rape and sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, torture, forced labor and many other forms of violations against local ethnic populations, escapes justice.” A new decade has begun in Myanmar[1], yet the same problems that have blighted the country since independence, ethnic inequality, Burmanization, and military attacks in ethnic areas remain. Renewed fighting in Karen State, continuing fighting in Shan and Arakan States, and the struggle for ethnic nationalities to assert their identity have all been present in the first two weeks of this year. Yet the powers in Naypyidaw remain stuck on the same track, pushing a broken peace process and blaming ethnic groups for continued failures. At the Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) held in Naypyidaw on 8 January, 2020, which was attended by leaders of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signatory ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), the government, and the Myanmar military, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi put blame on the EAOs for the failure of the peace process. In her opening remarks, she stated, “Concerning the case of having more armed conflicts, we would like to remind you of the fact that taking advantage by means of stronger armed forces or playing with the fancy of finding other new solutions will never bring solutions to the problems of our country.” The meeting, unsurprisingly, ended without substantive progress..."
Source/publisher: Progressive Voice (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-19
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Title: UWSP says peace could be found during Xi’s visit
Description: "The United Wa State Party (UWSP) says that they expect the solution for resolving fighting between government troops and northern Myanmar based ethnic armed forces will be found during Chinese President Xi’s visit to Myanmar. The statement issued by UWSP/UWSA (United Wa State Army) welcomes President Xi’s visit to Myanmar and added that peace in northern Myanmar was concerned with Sino-Myanmar relations and development among people (with China). The statement suggests that China plays a crucial role in restoring peace in Myanmar especially a ceasefire with ethnic armed groups in the Northern Alliance..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-16
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Title: Members of Rebel Outfit NDFB-S Enter India Through Myanmar Border, May Leave for Delhi for Peace Talks
Description: "Amid relentless protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across the northeast, leaders and cadres of the banned insurgent group National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Saoraigwra (NDFB-S) came back to India from Myanmar as part of the ongoing talks with the Government of India. A top leader of the rebel outfit told News18, “All the 50 members of the NDFB-S left Myanmar early on Saturday. The Indian Army escorted the leaders and cadres from the International border to an undisclosed Army base.” “The outfit’s chief, B Saoraigwra, and his family members along with his security personnel crossed the international border at Tamu (in Manipur), while NDFB-S’ (self-styled) general secretary B Ferrenga, council members and other cadres entered India through the Longwa international border (in Nagaland),” he added. Though the Director General of Assam Police, Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta, refused to comment on the development, a senior intelligence officer said, “All this is being directly monitored by Ministry of Home Affairs. We have not been informed officially yet. The top leadership of the group will be taken to Delhi as part of peace talks.”..."
Source/publisher: "News 18" (UK)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-12
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Title: Breaking free from fear in Kachin
Description: "While Myanmar’s state counselor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi focused her energies last month on personally defending her country’s appalling human-rights record in The Hague, bewildering ever more erstwhile supporters for papering over atrocities, “Rape as a Weapon of War and the Women Who Are Resisting: A Special Report” recently released by the Free Burma Rangers (FBR) reflects a more accurate portrayal of the true nature of the ethnic conflict embroiling the long-troubled country. “Sexual violence has become a hallmark of the prolonged civil conflict and an indisputable tactic of the Burma Army against ethnic women,” the report states. “After several failed domestic and international agreements, the Burma Army continues to rape with impunity, but women across the ethnic states are tired of living in fear.” Working with local ethnic pro-democracy groups, FBR trains, supplies, and later coordinates with teams providing humanitarian relief. After training, these teams provide essential emergency medical services, basic necessities and human-rights documentation in their home regions..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-11
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Title: Myanmar Army Attacks Kachin Independence Army Base
Description: "The Myanmar army attacked a Kachin Independence Army (KIA) training base in northern Shan State’s Hseni Township on Wednesday, according to local sources. The KIA reported that the Myanmar army attacked a KIA Brigade 10 training base and KIA forces fought back. “We heard that they came to attack our base. KIA forces were fighting in self-defense,” KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy on Friday. “We do not know details yet about whether the Myanmar army has withdrawn their troops from our area or whether our training base has withdrawn troops from the area, as it is very difficult to get in contact with them,” he said. Col. Naw Bu is based at the KIA headquarters in Laiza, Kachin State. The colonel added that in the last three months, the Myanmar military has deployed troops in the territory of KIA Brigade 10 and has been searching for the KIA army base. Kachin News Group reported that the Myanmar army fired four large artillery shells at the KIA training base, as well as lighter weapons..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-11
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Title: Government’s “total peace” in 2020 realizable? 
Description: "The opinion piece of January 1, 2020 The Global New Light of Myanmar wrote that “Our new year resolution should be “total peace” in 2020” is an appropriate and welcome aspiration and everything should be done to realize this noble intention. While it is correct that the people should be involved in achieving the desired peace, harmony and reconciliation that would come with it, ground work has to be laid out so that the public could participate in a matured manner. This means that the people should be appropriately informed, given freedom of expression and freedom of choice in a variety of issues confronting the country. In other words, the powers that be must not mislead and politically exploit the mass for its political gains. The case in point is the NLD regime’s mobilization of the mass on the eve of ICJ lawsuit just very recently, where the regime and its media outlets told the people that they were also been sued. Actually it is only the government or political decision-making apparatus that the lawsuit is directed at and in no way the people..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-10
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Title: Peace Process and Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan
Description: "As the restarting of nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA)-based peace process gears to restart after more than a year of standstill, it is important to note that the government intention is to link the projected achievement of peace along the line with its Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) launched to cover the time span from 2018 to 2030. The ambitious government plan launched in August 2018, now over a year old, is a 66-page document, which incorporates existing and draft plans and policies, sets out 3 pillars, 5 goals, 28 strategies and 251 action plans. The three pillars are “Peace and Stability; Prosperity and Partnership; and People and Planet”. Under Peace and Stability, there are two goals. One is “Peace, National Reconciliation, Security and Good Governance” and the other, “Economic Stability and Strengthened Macro Economic Management”. Under Prosperity and Partnership, “Job Creation and Private Sector Led Growth” is the goal. Finally, under People and Planet, there are two goals. One is “Human Resources and Social Development for a 21st Century Society” and the other, “Natural Resources and the Environment for Posterity of the Nation”..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-10
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Title: At Myanmar Peace Talks, State Counselor Urges All Parties to Put Country First
Description: "State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi called on all signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) to take responsibility and accountability in implementing the pact, saying its principles apply equally to all stakeholders. She made the comments on Wednesday at the resumption of the long-awaited Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) in Naypyitaw, at which she was joined by military representatives led by deputy army chief Vice Senior General Soe Win, and ethnic representatives led by Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) chairman General Yawd Serk. The JICM is considered a gateway to resuming the formal peace process, which has been stalled for more than a year since two NCA signatories suspended their participation. The Karen National Union decided to temporarily suspend its participation in formal peace negotiations in October 2018 and the RCSS withdrew from the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) on the NCA the following month..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-09
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Title: Myanmar in Transition Polity, People and Processes
Description: "Myanmar’s political transition from military authoritarianism to an evolving parliamentary system has gained worldwide attention and praise. Local and international scepticism regarding the flawed national elections of November 2010 gave way to outright optimism once the by-elections of April 2012 brought representatives from the opposition party National League for Democracy into the bi-cameral national as well as two federal parliaments. In particular, Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s metamorphosis from long-term political prisoner into national parliamentarian was seen as key evidence of the government’s sincerity in its reform agenda. Since then, the country has embarked on a journey towards fundamental change, encountering severe challenges, setbacks, and renewed criticism but also encouraging developments. This Panorama edition analyses the focal areas of institution-building, principal actors and long-term processes that will hopefully lead toward a democratic, federal state. While development cooperation practitioners and experts in political transitions toil to draw up plans, programmes and budgets, Myanmar’s government and parliaments face an impatient population demanding an end to underdevelopment, poverty, corruption, armed conflict and oppression of dissent, so that there can be focus on daily bread-and-butter issues..."
Source/publisher: "Panorama Insights into Asian and European Affairs" via "Academia.edu" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-09
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Title: Myanmar to hold fourth meeting of Panglong peace conference
Description: "Myanmar has planned to hold the fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference within the first four months of this year. A total of eight agreements including holding the peace conference were reached at the 8th Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) on the nationwide ceasefire agreement held in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday, U Zaw Htay, the director general of the State Counsellor Office, told media after the meeting. The 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference was held in August 2016, May 2017 and July 2018, respectively. A total of 51 federal-related basic principles have been adopted into a union accord so far after the third conference. At the meeting, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as the chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), called for continued efforts for the emergence of complete federal-related basic principles on creating future union as the 51 ones previously adopted are not enough for the goal..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-09
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Title: Rakhine: the new front in Myanmar's violent ethnic conflicts
Sub-title: Violence flared a year ago when the Arakan Army attacked Myanmar police, forcing thousands from their homes.
Description: "A year ago, four police stations in the conflict-ridden western Rakhine State of Myanmar came under attack from the Arakan Army (AA) leaving an estimated 13 officers dead and nine injured. The response was swift. Myanmar's military (also known as the Tatmadaw) promised to "crush the terrorists", marking the beginning of the latest bloody chapter in the country's never-ending conflicts, waged primarily between the Tatmadaw and various ethnic rebel groups. Rakhine has become notorious as the location of the military's brutal campaign against the mostly Muslim Rohingya, which led to the exodus of 740,000 people and accusations of genocide. What the military called "clearance operations" were partially justified by claims that the Muslims posed a threat to Rakhine Buddhists and their way of life, but the AA, founded in 2009 is an ethnic Rakhine, religiously Buddhist armed group..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-07
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Title: Africans call for more action on climate at Religions for Peace summit
Description: "Although Africa is among the regions contributing the least to global warming, the continent is one of the hardest hit by the impact of climate change on agriculture, health and water. Convening in New York at the Dec. 11-13 Religions for Peace summit, African leaders called on the organization and its members to do more to help address the crisis. Spiritual leaders and delegates from across the globe discussed joint action on climate conservation at a Dec. 11 session on "Partnership for Environmental Stewardship and Climate Protection." A delegate from Senegal told panelist Charles McNeill of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) that Africans are "the least responsible and the least informed" when it comes to combating climate change, due to larger issues like "putting food on the table." He called for greater involvement of religious leaders in persuading more people to do their bit to counter climate change. McNeill, UNEP's senior adviser on forests and climate, pointed to the work being done in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where people are taking steps to protect the Congo Rainforest — the second largest after the Amazon in Brazil. "I really appreciate the comment that the African people are, in spite of the fact that they're hurting the most… they are engaging and turning it around," said McNeill. Since 70% of the population in Congo depends on the forest for day-to-day resources, a delegate from Kenya said there's an urgent need to find sustainable alternatives to fuel, so that there's less cutting of trees. With the alarming deforestation in the Amazon, environmental and religious groups also fear large-scale deforestation in Congo..."
Source/publisher: "The National Catholic Reporter" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-06
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Title: Myanmar Ethnic Alliance Cease-fire Makes No Difference as Rakhine Fighting Rages in 2020
Description: "A unilateral cease-fire extended into the New Year by the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” of ethnic armies battling Myanmar’s armed forces appeared to make little difference as residents across the conflict zone in Rakhine state reported fighting this week. Local lawmakers and villagers said Thursday that the armed conflicts have continued despite the cease-fire announcement by the Arakan Army (AA) and its allies the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). They had announced Wednesday that they were extending a temporary unilateral cease-fire against Myanmar forces until Feb. 29 to allow more time to implement negotiations with the Myanmar military — the second extension since September. The three ethnic armies, which along with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) form the Northern Alliance, have been meeting with government peace negotiators to discuss bilateral truces, but have made little headway. The parties have agreed to meet again in January. The AA said armed conflicts are continuing because the military has used excessive force to intrude into its territory..."
Source/publisher: "Radio Free Asia (RFA)" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-06
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Title: Statement from the Karen Peace Support Network
Description: "KPSN Welcomes UN FFM Report – Calls for Sanctions on Military Companies The Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN), welcomes the report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar, on the Myanmar military’s economic interests, published on 5th August 2019. The Fact Finding Mission was established to look into who is responsible for violations of international law in Rakhine, Shan and Kachin States, and to make recommendations to ensure justice and accountability. It found that the Myanmar military has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide..."
Source/publisher: Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN)
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-06
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Title: China, Myanmar to enhance economic cooperation, speed up peace process in northern Myanmar
Description: "Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Myanmar's Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Min Aung Hlaing here on Sunday, with both sides agreeing to strengthen economic cooperation and speed up peace process in northern Myanmar. Lauding the Myanmar army as an important force in preserving the country's peace and stability as well as the friendship between China and Myanmar, Wang said the exchanges between the armed forces of the two countries represent an important part of "Paukphaw" (fraternal) friendship. China is willing to take the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year as an opportunity to jointly push forward the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, build a community of shared future with the Myanmar government and army, so as to push bilateral relations into a new era, he noted. Wang said the peace and reconciliation process in northern Myanmar is significant to the country's social and economic development, hoping that Myanmar continues to stick to political dialogue and firmly carry on peace talks. China will as always maintain close contact with Myanmar and play a constructive role in promoting the peace talks, Wang said. He called on all relevant parties to continue to show restraint, maintain the ceasefire and sign a ceasefire agreement at an early date. The two sides should also strengthen cooperation in the control and management of border areas to ensure peace and stability at China-Myanmar border areas, he added..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-09
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Title: Peace and war in Myanmar
Description: "A visitor to Myanmar can easily spend two weeks seeing the main tourist destinations and depart with the impression of having been in a peaceful nation. Within its borders, however, rages the world’s longest continuing civil war. It began at independence in 1948 and no end is in sight. This is the conundrum of Myanmar today: the coexistence of peace and war. The first national election in 20 years was held in 2010, at the end of five decades of repressive military rule. This election produced a government led by former General Thein Sein that unexpectedly moved quickly to adopt far-reaching political and economic reforms. The longtime leader of the democratic opposition and world-famous icon of democracy Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest shortly after that election. In 2012, she won a seat in the parliament in a by-election. In the 2015 election, her party — the National League for Democracy (NLD) — won in a landslide against the military-supported party..."
Source/publisher: "Brookings Institution (blog)"
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-07
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Title: China’s mobile missiles on the loose in Myanmar
Summary: "Myanmar’s seizure last week of a large cache of mostly Chinese weapons from a rebel camp sparked a brief and predictable flurry of nationalist outrage, underscoring as it did the shadowy role of...
Sub-title: Ethnic rebels unexplained acquisition of Chinese-made FN-6 portable missiles is a political and military game-changer
Description: "Myanmar’s seizure last week of a large cache of mostly Chinese weapons from a rebel camp sparked a brief and predictable flurry of nationalist outrage, underscoring as it did the shadowy role of neighboring China in fueling the nation’s many long-running ethnic conflicts. But the real significance of the November 22 incident had less to do with the seized weaponry’s quantity or provenance and much more with unambiguous confirmation that insurgents in active hostilities with government forces, or Tatmadaw, are now fielding man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, weapons that militarily and politically constitute potential game-changers. Amidst the stack of over 150 assault rifles, machine-guns, grenade launchers and nearly 80 sacks of explosives seized in a village in northeastern Shan state’s Namhsan township troops also retrieved in an apparent first a single MANPADS launcher identified as a Chinese-manufactured FN-6. Abandoning the cache after an apparently brief clash with state forces were rebels of the ethnic Palaung Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which operates across northern Shan state and dominates the tea-growing hill country of Namhsan..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-29
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Title: China’s mobile missiles on the loose in Myanmar
Sub-title: Ethnic rebels unexplained acquisition of Chinese-made FN-6 portable missiles is a political and military game-changer
Description: "Myanmar’s seizure last week of a large cache of mostly Chinese weapons from a rebel camp sparked a brief and predictable flurry of nationalist outrage, underscoring as it did the shadowy role of neighboring China in fueling the nation’s many long-running ethnic conflicts. But the real significance of the November 22 incident had less to do with the seized weaponry’s quantity or provenance and much more with unambiguous confirmation that insurgents in active hostilities with government forces, or Tatmadaw, are now fielding man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, weapons that militarily and politically constitute potential game-changers. Amidst the stack of over 150 assault rifles, machine-guns, grenade launchers and nearly 80 sacks of explosives seized in a village in northeastern Shan state’s Namhsan township troops also retrieved in an apparent first a single MANPADS launcher identified as a Chinese-manufactured FN-6. Abandoning the cache after an apparently brief clash with state forces were rebels of the ethnic Palaung Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which operates across northern Shan state and dominates the tea-growing hill country of Namhsan..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-29
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Title: Nothing to celebrate at Kachin Thanksgiving
Description: "Four score minus seven years ago, on Abraham Lincoln's birthday, the leaders of four of Myanmar's main ethnic groups -- the majority Burmans, plus Kachin, Chin and Shan -- committed to creating a country conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal. The year before independence from Britain in 1948, the legacy Panglong Agreement created conditions for a multicultural country including "a separate Kachin State within a Unified Burma … [I]t is agreed that such a State is desirable". Despite the reforms of recent years, the people of Myanmar are still waiting for the unified society agreed to in Panglong by Myanmar's independence hero, Aung San. Desire to see the promise of Panglong materialise remains strong among the country's minorities, as well their sympathisers worldwide. These include the Free Burma Rangers (FBR), who provide humanitarian support to Myanmar's minorities and advocate for "freedom, justice and peace" while shedding light on the abuses of the Myanmar army. My fateful mountaintop encounter three years ago with FBR founder David Eubank, on my first trip to Kachin while on a frontline tour with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), provided the catalyst for my second trip last spring to this ruggedly beautiful land..."
Source/publisher: "Bangkok Post" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-28
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Title: Beyond the Horizon: Local Perspectives on Peace, Justice and Accountability in Southeast Myanmar [EN/MY/Karen]
Description: "Today, at the Myanmar Press Freedom Center in Yangon, the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) launched its latest report, ‘Beyond the Horizon: Local Perspectives on Peace, Justice and Accountability in Southeast Myanmar’. This report explores the issue of transitional justice by examining the legacy of past human rights violations and the current human rights situation in Southeast Burma/Myanmar, as well as the perspectives of 95 local villagers on the peace process and access to justice. In 2015, the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement created possibilities for positive change after decades of conflict. However, the consequences of past abuses continue to impact the daily lives of local people, often combining with new forms of abuses to compound their economic marginalisation. As the peace process is now at a deadlock, it remains unclear to what extent it will be able to address these issues. Although most respondents reported that they now feel safer, problems persist. Traditional forms of abuses, such as killings, sexual and gender-based violence, physical abuse, forced labour and extortion still occur. In addition, the rights of rural Karen communities over natural resources and land are being totally disregarded. The Tatmadaw is also increasing its presence across the region, and skirmishes between armed actors undermine the local people’s trust in the peace process. Respondents reported that, during the pre-ceasefire period, they were often prevented from accessing justice by their rightful fear of armed actors, a lack of judicial independence and rule of law, and the absence of civilian jurisdiction over Tatmadaw abuses. In the current ceasefire period, villagers are also being denied justice because the parallel justice systems existing in Southeast Burma/Myanmar are inconsistent, lack resources and are plagued by corruption.
Source/publisher: "Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)" (Chiang Mai) via "Reliefweb" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-17
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Title: CULTURE OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE: Fading hope to resolve ethnic conflict?
Description: "With the rise of armed conflict violence, branching out into assassination, random shooting, abduction, extrajudicial punishment, the country seems to be “widening the space of armed confrontation or civil war and narrowing the peace negotiation process,” a phrase now popularly used by Burma or Myanmar political analysts, watchers and observers alike. But let us first looks into some recent developments within the country’s political landscape and determine if this is really the case. On November 10, in Rakhine or Arakan State, Myaypone Township, Wetyu village a fisherman and his wife traveling back home on motor-propelled boat was shot at by the military or Tatmadaw killing the four-month pregnant wife instantly and slightly wounding the husband. A tragic trigger-happy Tatmadaw trooper’s had cost an innocent local’s life. In response to it on November 11, United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) issued a statement condemning the act as a racial hatred move and vowed to revenge, while conveying its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-16
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Title: Success of peace process hinges on federal union: U Zaw Htay
Sub-title: The success in implementing the peace process depends on enshrining a federal democratic union in the Constitution as a guarantee of the people’s aspirations, U Zaw Htay, spokesperson of the President’s Office, said.
Description: "“Ethnic people believe that they can achieve their political rights in full only if there is a federal constitution, which they have consistently demanded,” he told a press briefing on Friday. “A federal constitution is needed to get a full political guarantee. It must be a union stipulated by all, not by a one-sided decision.” Although Myanmar has had different political systems in different eras, it has not established a federal union acceptable to all ethnic people, so peace remains elusive, he said. “We all pledged to build the union at the Panglong Conference held in 1947. Although the leaders and system changed, we couldn’t build the union. The federal building process has not been completed. There are barriers,” U Zaw Htay said. As these problems can only be solved politically, meetings such as the 21st Century Panglong Conference are needed. Ethnic armed groups, political parties, civil organisations, the Tatmadaw (military) and the government must all agree on a federal union..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-16
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Title: Peace talks hits snag between Myanmar govt and Northern Alliance
Description: "PEACE talks have hit a snag between the Myanmar government negotiators and the Northern Alliance, which is made up of four ethnic armed groups. Both were due to convene for talks, following their last meeting in Kyaingtong city in the Shan state on Sept 17, but it was postponed indefinitely, according to The Myanmar Times. U Lamai Khun Ja of the Myitkyina-based Peace Talk Creation Group said: “They do not have any problems. Neither side is ready to meet." Continuation of talks between the two groups was scheduled in October but later postponed to this month as the government wanted to prepare for the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The next round of talks would be the third since fighting broke out between the military and some members of the alliance members in Shan State in Aug. No commitment has been made on the next round of talks, including the time and location, by either side. The alliance comprises the Arakan Army, Kachin Independence Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). None of the group has signed the NCA..."
Source/publisher: "New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-14
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Title: Why has Myanmar’s peace process stalled? Because it divides ethnic groups
Summary: "“The fighting has been going on in this area for so long that abnormal situations of war and fighting become somewhat normalised, day-to-day, life for people. No one should live a life like that...
Sub-title: The Myanmar government created divisions between ethnic armed groups, preventing effective dialogue and perpetuating conflict. Unless the government can earn the trust of ethnic groups, peace talks will continue to stall.
Description: "“The fighting has been going on in this area for so long that abnormal situations of war and fighting become somewhat normalised, day-to-day, life for people. No one should live a life like that.” Kham Awn, of the Shan Women’s Action Network, was describing life in northern Shan State, Myanmar. The area has seen renewed violent clashes between ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar military in recent months, displacing thousands from their homes. A new report by Amnesty International documents war crimes by both the military and ethnic armed groups. But Kham Awn’s description could just as easily describe daily life elsewhere in Myanmar, especially in areas of Rakhine State, in the country’s southwest. On October 26, the Arakan Army (AA) stopped a ferry in Rakhine State and took at least 50 people hostage. After holding them for over a week, the armed group released 25 civilians but kept the remaining hostages, who it claims are security personnel. Myanmar’s police have since detained and begun to interrogate the released hostages. Though Myanmar’s peace process trudges on, a consistent lack of trust between the government and ethnic armed groups, fueled by violence and posturing, continues to prevent real progress. The Myanmar government’s approach to the peace process has divided ethnic groups, whether intentionally or not, undermining the negotiations, eroding trust, and perpetuating the conflict. Unless the Myanmar military ceases all offensives and the government commits to earning the trust of ethnic groups, peace talks will continue to stall..."
Source/publisher: "ASEAN Today" (Singapore)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-12
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Title: China contributes millions to Myanmar peace process with armed groups
Description: "CHINA recently contributed US$1 million (RM4.1 million) to fund the Myanmar government-led peace process with armed rebel groups in the country. The fund was presented by China's Special Envoy for Asian Affairs, Sun Guoxiang, in his visit to the country, The Irrawaddy reported. Of the total, US$400,000 is for the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC); while US$300,000 will go to the Peace Commission and the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC) each. Union minister with the State Counsellor’s Office and vice chairman of the NRPC, U Kyaw Tint Swe, received the sum from Sun, according to a statement from the Information Ministry. China's Xinhua News reported that the Chinese government will continue supporting the peace process in Myanmar. Sun was quoted as saying that the friendship between the two countries remains cordial and that the contribution was the fourth made by China. He said China is hopeful that peace can be hastened in the country, and assured that it will always support Myanmar in its continuous effort to achieve a resolution. During his visit to Myanmar, the special envoy met with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. In Jan 2017, China contributed US$1 million to Myanmar’s peace process through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and pledged US$3 million until 2020. In Dec 2017, US$500,000 was donated to the JMC and 10 vehicles in June 2018 by the then-Chinese Ambassador, Hong Liang..."
Source/publisher: "New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-11
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Title: Govt announces three steps to advance peace process
Description: "State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has announced a three-step plan to reboot the peace process at an event marking the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. The government signed the ceasefire with eight groups in October 2015 but the country’s most powerful non-state armies are still yet to ink the accord, leaving them on the fringes of the formal peace process. Since the National League for Democracy government took office, the government has signed the NCA with just two additional armed groups. It has also convened just three Union Peace Conferences, despite a requirement that they be held every six months. Addressing a ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw on October 28, Aung San Suu Kyi urged ethnic armed groups and stakeholders to cooperate to ensure that the government’s three proposed steps were successfully implemented. The steps are to continue holding the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conferences, to involve non-signatories of the NCA in political dialogue, and to ensure that the people are able to enjoy the fruits of peace. The first step includes three elements: to develop a framework agreement to guide implementation of the NCA, to reach agreement on more points of a future Union Peace Accord, and to develop a plan for continuing the peace process beyond the 2020 election..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-11
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Title: Two Japanese Supporting Peace Efforts with Myanmar’s Ethnic Minorities
Description: "Myanmar is a country of rich ethnic and religious diversity which has struggled for many years with issues of ethnic conflict. Two Japanese men have gained attention for their concerted behind-the-scenes efforts to attain peace in these complex circumstances. Armed Resistance by Ethnic Minorities There are said to be as many as 20 ethnic minority groups in Myanmar, and many minority forces in the country continue resistance against the rule of the central government. Relations between groups are delicate, with certain ethnic groups experiencing division due to divergence of opinions. The military strength of some is a source of embarrassment for the government. Pivoting this extremely complex ethnic antagonism towards resolution is the greatest challenge facing the country. The failure to achieve peace with ethnic minorities has for many years provided justification for military control and the suppression of democracy. Despite the county’s great potential, this has been a cause of economic stagnation. The country is making steady progress towards realizing peace, although it tends to be overshadowed by the Rohingya crisis. Two Japanese men have acted as mediators behind the scenes in the peace process: Imoto Katsuyuki, head of a nongovernmental organization retrieving human remains, and Sasakawa Yōhei, as a special envoy of the Japanese government..."
Source/publisher: nippon.com (Japan)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-11
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Title: CULTURE OF ANGST: A need for conducive atmosphere in peace-building
Description: "Lately, news seeping out from government sources indicate that the much talked about bilateral ceasefire negotiation between the Northern Alliance – Burma (NA-B) and the National League for Democracy-led civilian-military regime may be shelved, due to Arakan Army (AA) hostage-taking of the government security personnel. The NA-B members are the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). The bilateral ceasefire talks have been held for four times, in Muse, Kunming and twice in Kengtung, without any breakthrough or concrete agreement. And as it now seems, the further meeting will be quite problematic, if not at all impossible. This kind of prevailing atmosphere could be because the culture of angst has overtaken all the stakeholders, fellow peace-negotiators or contenders in Burma or Myanmar political arena, said Khuensai Jaiyane, director of the Pyidaungsu Institute, patron of the Shan Herald Agency for News and advisor of the Restoration Council of Shan State, an Ethnic Armed Organization (EAO) that inked the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in October 2015..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-10
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Title: Naga peace talks fallout? Security tightened along Myanmar border
Sub-title: Assam Rifles ‘deploys’ jawans at frontier villages of Kamjong in Manipur; stocking of ration, essential items being carried out for over a week now, say sources
Description: "Apprehending that cadres of some Manipuri and Naga militant outfits based in Myanmar may create law-and-order problems in Manipur following the recent talks with the Centre and the NSCN-IM in New Delhi, security arrangements have reportedly been intensified in the areas bordering Myanmar. Sources informed EastMojo that a group of Assam Rifles personnel were deployed at Phungtha village, the second last village of Manipur from the international border in Kamjong district, on November 5. Kamjong town, the district headquarters, is located 120 km from state capital Imphal along the state highway. “From November 5 onwards, there have been some movement in the village as Assam Rifles has deputed a group of 25 jawans in the area. Stocking of ration and other essential materials is also being carried out in the area for more than a week,” sources told EastMojo. In Chamu village, considered as the last village from Manipur side along the India-Myanmar border, it has been reported that a full battalion of Assam Rifles has been deployed in the area. A ‘Major’-level officer of the Assam Rifles, who didn’t want to be named, told EastMojo that the battalion has been deployed to check infiltration of militants through the village..."
Source/publisher: "EastMojo" (India)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-08
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Title: China donates cash assistance for peace process in Myanmar
Description: "China donated cash assistance of 400,000 U.S. dollars to be used in Myanmar government's peace process on Wednesday morning in Nay Pyi Taw. Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Sun Guoxiang presented the cash donation to U Kyaw Tint Swe, vice-chairman of Myanmar's National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and union minister of the State Counselor's Office. Speaking at the donation ceremony, U Kyaw Tint Swe thanked China, saying that China's perpetual assistance to Myanmar helps maintain the long-held paukphaw (fraternal) friendship between the two countries. U Kyaw Tint Swe also expressed his belief that China would continue to extend its assistance to Myanmar for mutual benefits for the two countries. "It was the fourth time that the Chinese government donates cash assistance to Myanmar's NRPC with the aim to support Myanmar's peace process," said the Chinese special envoy, pledging for the continued assistance to Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-07
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Title: FOURTH NCA ANNIVERSARY: A peace process drawback
Description: "The Fourth Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) Signing Anniversary, which supposed to be convened on the actual date of October 15, was held on October 28 in Naypyitaw with nine NCA-Signatory-Ethnic Armed Organization (NCA-S-EAO), as the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) delegation was absent. Reportedly, the RCSS issued a three-page statement underlining why it wasn’t able to attend the anniversary occasion. It was a blow to conveners, especially the government, for the gathering was supposed to uplift the stagnated peace process, which has been halted since over a year, and should have helped paved the way for Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM), the highest organ in NCA-based peace process, that would outline the negotiation agenda and eventual implementation by the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC). In short, the Tatmadaw blocking of the RCSS leader and his delegation travel using Maehongson – Homong-Langkhur-Nam Zarng-Taunggyi-Naypyitaw to attend the anniversary occasion was the real cause of setback..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-05
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Title: Myanmar’s Nagaland Rebels Expel Peace Representatives
Description: "The National Socialist Council of Nagaland’s (NSCN) new chairman Yung Aung has expelled five leading members because they encouraged the group to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) while in custody. The five jailed members were sacked “for their continuous effort to propagate and encourage the signing of the NCA, which is completely against the political principles of the party”, the NSCN said in a statement. The ousted members are the Home Affairs Minister and retired Major General Angmai, Religious Affairs Minister U Kyaw Wan Sein, Forestry Minister U An Kam (also known as Angkan), Central Council member U Saw Htin and a Naga army lieutenant colonel, Aung Sai. The statement said the five “deliberately” conspired and mobilized regarding the NCA, which is directly against the party’s policy. All authority and privileges enjoyed by them have been canceled. The NSCN, the Naga armed group based in Myanmar, is trying to establish Nagaland, together with Naga rebels across the border in India..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-05
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Title: Communicating for the Future: Building Confidence and Trust in the Myanmar Peace Process
Description: "As part of its project supporting increased understanding and improved communication of peace in Myanmar Search for Common Ground (SfCG) organized a two-day ‘Message Mapping Workshop’ at the Novotel Hotel, Yangon from 24 to 25 October. The workshop was intended to provide input and feedback into the design of a multimedia ‘message map’, to strengthen a community of practitioners and influencers who understand and help spread key messages on peace by providing some examples of best practice relating to the role of media in building peace. The workshop was well-attended by famous artists from music and film industry, representatives from media organizations, ethnic-armed organizations (EAOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs). This is one of the seven phases that SfCG is carrying out for their three-year project, ‘Communicating for the Future’ in seven target areas; Shan Chin, Kayin, Mon, Bago, Yangon and Tanintharyi which is being supported by the Joint Peace Fund. The first day of the workshop included a panel discussion on ‘the role of Media in Building Confidence and Trust in Peace Process’ featuring four panelists, Mi Sue Pwint, Central Executive Committee Member of the ABSDF, Daw Khine Moe Naing, Deputy Director of MRTV, U Toe Zaw Latt, Operations Director of DVB and Hilmy Ahamed, Founder of Young Asia TV (YATV) in Sri Lanka. Mi Sue Pwint shared insights into how signatory ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) use media platforms, particularly the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signatory EAOs’ website and Facebook page, to keep people updated about their news and activities..."
Source/publisher: "Joint Peace Fund" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-01
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Title: Minorities, Money and Getting It Wrong in Myanmar
Description: "The euphoria knew no bounds. When it was announced that a text had been drafted for a proposed ceasefire agreement between the Myanmar government and some of the country’s many ethnic resistance armies, The Center for Humanitarian Dialog, a Swiss-based peace and reconciliation outfit that runs several Myanmarrelated projects, hailed it as “the most comprehensive ceasefire agreement in Myanmar’s history” which “will set the stage for resolving the longest-running conflict in Southeast Asia.” Vijay Nambiar, special advisor on Myanmar to the Secretary General of the United Nations, also called the drafting of the proposal “historic” and UNICEF even suggested that it “could be a dawn of a new time of progress for the most disadvantaged children in Myanmar.” That was on March 31, 2015. Four years on, it is evident that Myanmar’s so-called peace process has been a complete failure. Even as the foreign peacemakers were congratulating themselves in the capital Naypyidaw and in Yangon, the reality on the ground remained depressingly unchanged. Airstrikes and other attacks were continuing against Kachin and Palaung rebel forces in the north and northeast of the country. When what was termed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was nevertheless signed on Oct. 15, 2015, it was announced that “eight groups” were behind it. But five of the signatories had no noteworthy armed forces, and one, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, had been a government-allied militia since it broke away from the main group, the Karen National Union (KNU), in 1994..."
Source/publisher: "Global Asia" (South Korea)
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-01
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Title: “Caught in the middle”: Abuses against civilians amid conflict in Myanmar’s northern Shan State
Summary: "The decades-long conflict in northern Shan State has escalated in recent months following attacks by three ethnic armed groups on military installations and other locations in the country on 15...
Description: "The decades-long conflict in northern Shan State has escalated in recent months following attacks by three ethnic armed groups on military installations and other locations in the country on 15 August 2019. The government stated that the attacks were likely to have been carried out in retaliation for recent successful anti-drug trafficking operations in the region. According to the three ethnic armed groups – calling themselves the “Brotherhood Alliance” – the attacks were launched in response to a military offensive in Rakhine State in the west of the country as well as repeated military operations in northern Shan state, despite a military ceasefire in the area. Civilians in northern Shan State, who have borne the brunt of these previous operations, looks set to endure fresh abuses, conflict, and displacement. This report examines international human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law committed since mid-2018 by parties to the ongoing internal armed conflicts in northern Shan State. On 21 December 2018, the Myanmar military announced a unilateral ceasefire in northern and eastern Myanmar, however, as this report shows, while there may have been a reduction of the number of clashes involving the military, Myanmar soldiers have continued to commit serious violations against ethnic minority civilians. The declared ceasefire period has also seen a continuation, and in some areas an escalation, of fighting among ethnic armed groups, some backed by the Myanmar military. Amnesty International undertook research missions to northern Shan State in March and August 2019. In total, Amnesty International interviewed 88 people, including victims and direct witnesses to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. The organization also met with local and international humanitarian officials, human rights defenders, community leaders, journalists, and political analysts, and analysed satellite imagery and photographs related to specific documented incidents. Amnesty International wrote to the Myanmar civilian government and military, and to four ethnic armed groups, outlining the organization’s findings, requesting information, and expressing readiness to discuss the situation in northern Shan State. At the time of publication, none had replied..."
Source/publisher: "Amnesty International" (UK) (ASA 16/1142/2019)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-31
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Title: Naga rebel group part of peace talks with Centre eyes setting up camps in Myanmar with no breakthrough in site
Sub-title: With Naga peace talks extending beyond October 31, rebel group NSCN (IM) is now looking at the possibility of setting up camps in Myanmar if the demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution is not agreed by the Centre.
Description: "Naga rebel group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) that has been part of ongoing talks for a peace accord with the Centre along with other groups is exploring the option of setting up base in Myanmar as there seems to be no breakthrough in the discussions. The rebel group that earlier agreed to peace talks is not on-board with the Centre on most contentious issues like a separate flag and constitution for Nagaland. The government has made it clear that these two demands will not be met but NSCN (IM) is not willing to relent, sources said. Ground intelligence inputs suggest that two of the group's top leadership have already crossed over to Myanmar to set up camps there. Around 300-500 armed cadres have also managed cross into Myanmar and are camping at Koki opposite Shera, says a recent intelligence report. There are indications that NSCN (IM) is not likely to be part of the peace accord..."
Source/publisher: "India Today" (India)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-31
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Title: Myanmar state counselor stresses flexibility, broad-mindedness in achieving peace, emergence of federal union
Description: "Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday stressed the need to have flexibility and broadmindedness in achieving genuine peace and emergence of a federal union. Suu Kyi, who is Chairperson of both the National Reconciliation and Peace Center and the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee, made the remarks at a ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw to mark the 4th anniversary of the signing of the government's Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA). Suu Kyi outlined three-step peace process to be pursued by the government in the future. The first step, she said, is to lay down a common process on how to carry on the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference and to obtain framework agreements on the implementation of the NCA..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-29
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Title: RCSS Chair’s Trip to NCA Anniversary Event Blocked by Military
Description: "Meetings concerning Burma’s peace process have been temporarily postponed following the cancellation of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) chairperson Gen Yawd Serk’s trip to Naypyidaw, RCSS representatives said. Gen Yawd Serk had planned to attend the fourth anniversary commemoration of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on Monday, but the Burma Army reportedly blocked his travel. The trip was going to include meetings of the Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) and the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) following the NCA anniversary. “JICM and PPST meetings which were going to be held after the fourth anniversary of the NCA, were canceled,” Gen Yawd Serk told media outlets through a translator during a press conference on the Thai-Burma border. The RCSS chair is also the chair of the PPST..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-29
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Title: A Daring Helicopter Rescue After Rebels Capture a Ferry in Myanmar
Description: "When the ferry pushed off from a dilapidated pier in western Myanmar, few of the passengers could have predicted how dangerous the journey would turn out. Later on Saturday, along a riverbank dotted with mangroves, a rebel group abducted dozens of soldiers and government workers from the ferry at gunpoint. That drew a risky rescue attempt by army helicopters, which swooped in to try to free the hostages as their captors then spirited them away in three separate boats. Gunfire erupted on both sides, and the army later said it had rescued 14 of the 58 hostages. The rebels said some were killed by helicopter fire, and they were keeping the survivors for “further investigation.” The drama unfolded in a rural section of Rakhine State, a strip of land on the country’s west coast where Myanmar’s army, known as the Tatmadaw, staged a brutal ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in 2017. Sign up for The Interpreter Subscribe for original insights, commentary and discussions on the major news stories of the week, from columnists Max Fisher and Amanda Taub. SIGN UP The scale of the abduction suggests that the rebel group, The Arakan Army — a guerrilla force from the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group that makes up most of the state’s population — is using increasingly brazen tactics to press its demand for independence..."
Source/publisher: "The New York Times" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-28
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Title: Mon and Karen Leaders Agree to Halt Clashes
Description: "Leaders of ethnic Mon and Karen armed organizations have agreed to cease fighting after holding a meeting on Wednesday to discuss a recent flare-up of clashes in southern Karen State. Representatives of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) agreed to seek solutions to their disputes through dialogue. “We agreed to stop further clashes. We also agreed to solve problems through dialogue. We are going to explain our agreement to the ground-level forces. Today, we also agreed to live in unity,” Lt-Col M. Seik Chan, the commander of the NMSP’s Battalion 5, told NMG. According to the lieutenant colonel, leaders from both groups ordered their forces to retreat from the location of the recent clashes. Fighting between the NMSP and KNU occurred in Balae Donfive village in Payathonsu sub-township on October 17 and 21. Representatives from the KNLA Brigade 6 and NMSP’s headquarters held three meetings and observed the location of the clashes. “Both sides need to follow our agreement. If we do that, we can avoid further clashes. Both sides have a responsibility,” Lt-Col Saw Shwe Win, commander of the KNLA’s Battalion 16, told NMG..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-25
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Title: GOVERNMENT AND EAOS RELATION: Restarting peace process with four-point agreement agenda
Description: "On the heels of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-Signatory-Ethnic Armed Organizations (NCA-S-EAO) three-day meeting that ended on October 12, the Peace Commission (PC), under the government National Peace and Reconciliation Center (NRPC), flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand to meet the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA), Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Karen National Union (KNU). All mentioned groups the PC has met are all NCA-S-EAO members, except the KNPP which has still to sign the NCA. The government delegation included PC Secretary a retired Lieutenant General Khin Zaw Oo, President’s Office Director Zaw Htay and PC advisers Hla Maung Shwe and Moe Zaw Oo. The government PC and the KNPP met on October 18 in Chiang Mai. It was said the unofficial meeting with the KNPP touched on the issues of bilateral ceasefire possibility and development of the Karenni (Kayah) State. The KNPP was led my Vice-Chairman Khu Oo Reh, accompanied by Deputy-Commander-in-Chief General Aung Myat, Aung San Myint, Nei Neh Plo and Khun Naung..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-23
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Title: In Myanmar’s North, Hopes to Return Home
Sub-title: Recent overtures suggest the government may be serious about ending years of conflict in its northern state.
Description: "The Jan Mai Kawng Baptist Church camp for internally displaced people is located on the outskirts of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state. Home to more than 1,000 people uprooted by conflict across Myanmar's most northern state, Jan Mai Kawng is a bustling place, where camp residents have established businesses, including restaurants, shops and even a makeshift hairdresser. Among the entrepreneurial tenants is Kai Ra, 52, who has established a small operation selling secondhand clothes in the camp. If business goes well, she can make about $7 a day, but acknowledged that on some days there is no income. "In my home village, I worked on the land and could live off it, but I have no land here," she says, standing outside her home in the camp. "I miss my home, and I miss my livestock: my chickens, my cows and my goats. I miss everything, but I can't go back home at the moment. It's not safe."..."
Source/publisher: US News (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-23
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Title: NEW NCA AGENDA: Natural resource governance reform would energize
Description: "Forest Trends, a non-profit Washington-based organisation established since 1988, with the funding of Joint Peace Fund, released a 72-page important report titled, “Natural resource governance reform and the peace process in Myanmar,” written by Kevin Woods, which emphasizes that the ongoing peace negotiation process directly address the governance of natural resources to realize resource federalism. Regarding this, the report wrote: “The federal decentralization of land and resource governance on the other hand, if managed well with a full set of integrity mechanisms, could be a means of addressing grievances in many of Myanmar’s resource producing areas.” “Decentralization generally fails to help locals unless accompanied by appropriate governance mechanisms to ensure compliant implementation – meaning that more focus on and support for resource governance institutions and mechanisms is needed. The extractive sector could act as a driver of more equitable socio-economic development that helps provide greater stability during the post-conflict transition,” explained the report further..."
Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-23
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Title: Govt: Union Peace Conference Session to Be Held Before 2020 Election
Description: "The fourth session of the Union Peace Conference, also known as the 21st Century Panglong Conference, will be held before Burma’s 2020 general election, the spokesperson for the President’s Office has said. “The government has proposed that the fourth Union Peace Conference be held early next year… the EAOs (ethnic armed organizations) have already agreed to it,” spokesperson Zaw Htay said to media outlets after an informal meeting with EAOs in Chiang Mai, Thailand on October 18. According to Zaw Htay, participants in the peace conference will discuss federal principles and the peace process post-2020. The proposal, he said, has three parts. “The first part is about federal structure—for example, we will try to get a common agreement on what kind of federal nation we want to build,” Zaw Htay explained. “In the second part, we will try to come to an agreement on federal principles. The third part is that we will try to get an agreement on how to move the peace process forward in the post-2020 election period.” He added that the 51 points regarding basic federal principles addressed in the last Union Peace Conference session would be combined with the points agreed upon in the fourth session, and then federal policy would be drawn up that reflects these points..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-22
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Title: Trust Levels With Govt Are ‘Low,’ KNPP Says
Description: "Representatives of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) say that unresolved issues on the ground in Karenni (Kayah) State have negatively affected trust-building with the government, and have made it difficult for the organization to consider signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Representatives of the government’s Peace Commission and the KNPP held an informal meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand on October 18, after which, KNPP spokesperson Nei Nei Plo spoke to the media. “We are still continuing our negotiations with the government. In practice, there are many reasons and issues on the ground that cause trust to be low. We need to rebuild the trust,” Nei Nei Plo said. Both the government and KNPP leaders said that they discussed how ceasefire implements should be implemented. “NCA implementation needs to move forward without any deadlocks… If trust goes down, it will be difficult not only for the KNPP but also for other non-NCA EAOs (ethnic armed organizations) to sign the NCA,” Nei Nei Plo explained..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-22
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Title: NCA-Signatory EAOs Agree to Resume Official Peace Talks With Govt, Military
Description: "Ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) signatory to Burma’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) have agreed in principle to resume official peace negotiations with the government and military, and to discuss issues on which the peace process remains deadlocked. The agreement came after a three-day meeting of the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which concluded on Saturday. “We already know the deadlock issues. We will try to remove these deadlocks. We are flexible in solving this problem through informal meetings or official meetings,” Col Sai Nguen, a PPST spokesperson, said. “If all stakeholders are likely to get a common agreement, we will continue to hold [another session of] the 21st Century Panglong Conference,” he added. Negotiation teams from the PPST and the government will discuss issues including federalism, the stalled peace process and ceasefires “in depth,” Col Sai Nguen said. According to a statement released after the PPST meeting, NCA-signatory EAOs have agreed to hold a Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM), but the agenda of the meeting will depend on negotiation results..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-20
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Title: Burma Army, KIA Clash In First Battle in Kachin State This Year
Description: "Forces belonging to the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) engaged in their first battle in Kachin State in months in Mohnyin Township this week. Col Naw Bu, who is in charge of the Kachin Independence Organization’s information department, told NMG that there had been no fighting in the state or around nine months, but that it reignited in the second week of October. “I heard our forces clashed with the Burma Army in the KIA’s Battalion 5 area… There were no clashes in 2019,” he said, adding that he had not yet received a detailed field report about the fighting. Battalion 5’s territory is located between the railway and the Irrawaddy River, and reportedly occurred on October 14, according to Naw Bu. Fighting between the groups in Kachin State had paused since the Burma Army’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire in late 2018. The declaration expired in September..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-19
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Title: Dialogue as a tool in peacebuilding and conflict management
Description: "The ability to resolve conflict through dialogue rather than violence, is an essential skill for Myanmar to build in order to reach a lasting peace. Dialogue needs to take place not just through the country’s Framework for Political dialogue, but at the community level too, where the impact of conflict is often felt most harshly. With the support of JPF, the Centre for Development and Ethnic Studies (CDES) held a training of trainers (TOT) workshop in Yangon in late September to build dialogue and facilitation skills and promote a better understanding of the key principles of dialogue and conflict management. CDES Program Manager Thawng Tha Lian explained the thinking behind the workshop: “Myanmar is rich in its diversity of ethnicities, languages and religions, so a culture of dialogue is essential at both the community and national level to promote mutual understanding and peacebuilding. We believe these participants can help support peace in Myanmar and the through holding more dialogue in their communities.” He said the workshop built on their earlier experience running trainings. “We implemented series of federalism and peace training sessions earlier this year and found that most of our participants also needed to develop dialogue and facilitation skills.”..
Source/publisher: "Joint Peace Fund" via Reliefweb
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-17
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Title: Myanmar's Arakan Army is Recruiting and Training to Fight Government
Description: "On the edge of a mountainside in Northern Myanmar’s Kachin state, several hundred young army recruits kick up the dust as they jog down a trail during early morning military drills. New recruits are joining groups such as the Arakan Army which has set up training camps in Kachin state, home to fellow Northern Alliance member, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The Arakan Army (AA) formed in 2009 and is currently fighting in Rakhine State against government forces in ongoing skirmishes that have escalated in recent months, amid faltering cease-fire talks. The AA is the armed wing of the United League of Arakan, headquartered in Laiza. Laiza is the capital of KIA - controlled Kachin State, bordering China. The Arakan Army say that they have a current force of 7,000 troops. Like most of the ethnic armed groups within the country who haven’t signed peace agreements, the Arakan army say they are fighting for more self-autonomy and control over their territory..."
Source/publisher: Voice of America (VOA)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-17
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Title: Under China’s Direction, Myanmar’s Peace Process Goes Nowhere
Summary: "China has been vying to lead the region, if not the world, economically and politically since President Xi Jinping took power. As Xi’s power has grown, China has sought to expand its leadership role...
Description: "China has been vying to lead the region, if not the world, economically and politically since President Xi Jinping took power. As Xi’s power has grown, China has sought to expand its leadership role across the region and beyond through economic expansion, political influence and military modernization. On the economic front, China has initiated the far-flung and ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which will be instrumental in expanding its investment and power projection in many countries. Myanmar occupies a strategically important geographical position for the BRI projects, through which China seeks to build links to the Indian Ocean, then to the Middle East and Africa. Myanmar’s political instability and civil war, however, are major barriers to the BRI. Particularly, fighting in northern Shan State, where many of the BRI projects are to be implemented, is disrupting the scheme’s implementation..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-16
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Title: Peace through development: China’s experiment in Myanmar
Summary: "WHEN VIEWING the domestic conflicts of a sovereign nation, China sees development and stability as two mutually reinforcing concepts. Instead of focusing on the fair and just distribution of...
Sub-title: Recurring conflict and military stalemate in northern Myanmar have prompted China to embark on a bold experiment – one with implications that Nay Pyi Taw might not yet even comprehend.
Description: "WHEN VIEWING the domestic conflicts of a sovereign nation, China sees development and stability as two mutually reinforcing concepts. Instead of focusing on the fair and just distribution of political and economic rights, China prioritises making the economic pie larger so that everyone gets a bigger share. This approach reflects China’s own experiences in strengthening political stability through economic development. Enhanced economic performance validates the legitimacy of the state and improves stability, which in turn creates conditions for further economic development. This development-oriented approach towards conflict resolution has resulted in northern Myanmar’s conflicts becoming intrinsic components of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, The rationale China has been formally involved in the mediation of ethnic conflicts in northern Myanmar since early 2013, when it established the office of Special Envoy for Asian Affairs. Six years of mediation in Myanmar – during which there has been no agreement over the mechanisms and structure of the peace process, or the distribution of political and economic power in the ethnic states – has shepherded the Chinese to a few key conclusions. First, the complicated history and the fundamental lack of trust between the Bamar-dominated central government and ethnic minorities means it is not feasible to open negotiations on the most difficult issues, particularly power distribution. In this climate of mistrust and hostility, it is unrealistic to expect elites on both sides to make the concessions necessary for a peace deal..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-15
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Title: TNLA intrudes into the area controlled by the army: army official
Description: "The army and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) clashed in northern Shan State for two consecutive days as the TNLA forces intruded in the area occupied by the army in Namtu Township, said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Secretary of Tatmadaw True News Information Team. An army column encountered with TNLA forces in a place between Nanthwe and Mawhan villages in Kutkai Township on July 13 and the army clashed with TNLA forces on Lwehan Mountain in Namtu Township in the same day, announced News and Information Department from the TNLA on July 13. “Our troops encountered with the TNLA forces yesterday as their forces intruded in our area,” said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun. Moreover fighting between army and TNLA occurred on Lwehan Mountain and near Nanthwe Village on July 12, announced the TNLA. The army and TNLA encountered for 59 times from December 21 to July 13 after the army announced unilateral ceasefire and 11 times of clashes occurred from July 1 to 13 in this year, it said..."
Source/publisher: "Eleven Media Group" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-14
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Title: Government, Northern Alliance likely to meet in last week of October
Description: "The organizations concerned with the peace dialogue between the government and the Northern Alliance will likely hold a meeting in the last week of October. After the last Kengtung peace talks held on September 17, both sides agreed to resume their talks in October. They issued a seven-point joint statement after that last talks. Spokesman of Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) Maj. Ta Aik Kyaw said to Mizzima, “It is still under negotiation, they have not yet replied to us. I think they will reply to us after this Thadingyut (light) festival long holiday.” In an attack on government troops on October 9 by the TNLA, some government troops were killed and seven civilians were wounded. Regarding this attack, the TNLA issued a press statement which says, “The government troops travelled from Hseni in a convoy of seven military trucks to launch offensive against our TNLA and then our TNLA troops attacked them in preemptive self-defence.” Maj. Ta Aik Kyaw said, “We will have solutions only from talks and dialogues. The peace talks and dialogues will not be affected by these attacks but it will be more convenient and easier unless there is fighting during the peace talks. The fighting will hamper and affect the talks a little bit.” In the agreement reached between the two sides, they agreed to control and restrain from further fighting and opening liaison offices for continuation of negotiations and keeping communication channels open..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-12
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Title: Armed Group in Myanmar’s Shan State Will Release Detained Police Officers
Description: "The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has said that four Myanmar police officers detained by the ethnic armed group in Kutkai Township, northern Shan State, will be released soon. Four police officers from Mong Si Village were detained by the TNLA on Sept. 29 while traveling to Namhsan Town, according to Mong Si Village head administrator Daw Htu San. The village head told The Irrawaddy Tuesday that local authorities were trying to negotiate with the TNLA for the four officers’ release. TNLA Brigadier General Tar Phone Kyaw told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the four officers were detained after they demanded taxes from local people in Kutkai Township. He said the four police officers would stand on a bridge and “ask for taxes” from people who were traveling. “We are working to release the police officers. We will release them soon,” Brig-Gen Tar Phone Kyaw said. The four police officers used the TNLA’s name when asking local people for taxes, according to TNLA spokesperson Major Tar Aike Kyaw, so the TNLA arrested them...
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-11
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Title: Myanmar conflict: civilians caught in battle in north
Description: "More than 2,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Myanmar's northern Shan state, as the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, an ethnic Palaung armed group and the Myanmar army staged tit-for-tat attacks. That's despite unilateral ceasefire announcements by both sides in the past two months. And civilians caught in the middle of that fighting are bearing the brunt..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-11
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Title: Renewed conflict in Myanmar slows China's Belt and Road projects
Summary: "A recent decision by the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, not to extend a cease-fire aimed at ethnic armed organizations excluded from a nationwide peace agreement puts the country's Belt and Road...
Sub-title: Ethnic strife and national pride halt Beijing-championed infrastructure projects
Description: "A recent decision by the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, not to extend a cease-fire aimed at ethnic armed organizations excluded from a nationwide peace agreement puts the country's Belt and Road projects in further limbo. Multiple projects have already been halted, including the key Myitsone dam hydropower project in in Myanmar's northernmost state of Kachin. But ethnic strife is not to blame. Rather, the dam has run up against nationwide opposition and an International Finance Corp. report strongly advising against damming the upper reaches of Myanmar's major rivers. Meanwhile, work on a feasibility study for another project has been suspended as a result of the renewed hostilities. Tatmadaw forces in late September assaulted a Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army base in Kutkai, squarely in the middle of the proposed route for the China-led Muse-Lashio-Mandalay rail project in northern Shan state. One day after fighting recommenced, a Myanma Railways spokesman announced the suspension, blaming the instability. The attacks signal the failure of Chinese attempts to broker peace between Myanmar's vigorously independent military and a group of armed organizations known as The Northern Alliance..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Nikkei Review" (Japan)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-07
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Title: Life in Panghsang, a Chinese Enclave in Wa Region
Description: "Nestled in the hills of eastern Shan State near the China-Myanmar border, Panghsang is the capital of the Wa Region, a self-administered area approved by Myanmar’s Constitution. It is home to Myanmar’s largest and best-equipped ethnic armed group, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), with an estimated 30,000 troops and 10,000 auxiliary members, according to Myanmar Peace Monitor. In April, the army celebrated the 30th anniversary of its foundation in Panghsang in grand scale, with columns of troops paraded in the city square. Founded in 1989, the UWSA signed a ceasefire with Myanmar’s then-military government—the State Law and Order Restoration Council—in the same year after splitting from the Communist Party of Burma. It also founded the United Wa State Party and the Wa State People’s Government while pressing the Union government to recognize their region as a state of Myanmar. Despite its location on the Myanmar side of the border, on a stroll around the town you could believe you’re in China. On the streets of Panghsang, most people communicate in Mandarin. Chinese characters, along with Myanmar and Wa translations are emblazoned on shopfronts. Yuan is the currency of choice here. For a good cell phone signal, you’d better connect with a Chinese network. Street signs are written in Myanmar and Chinese. Stores are stocked with goods imported from China..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-06
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Title: Why China is sceptical about the peace process
Summary: "SINCE Myanmar's current peace process began eight years ago, ethnic reconciliation has become a benchmark in evaluating progress of the Myanmar nation and state, alongside civil-military relations...
Sub-title: In the first of a two-part series, contributor Yun Sun examines the different approaches China has taken to mediating in Myanmar’s armed conflicts, and why it has begun to adopt a more limited – yet still important – role.
Description: "SINCE Myanmar's current peace process began eight years ago, ethnic reconciliation has become a benchmark in evaluating progress of the Myanmar nation and state, alongside civil-military relations and economic development. China is undeniably a major stakeholder in this process. Many of Myanmar’s non-state armed groups hold territory along or close to the 2,000-kilometre border that it shares with China, and armed conflict along the border has the potential to undermine China’s national security. For China, this creates an impulse – even a need – to intervene in and mediate the conflict. Previously, the political justification for intervention in Myanmar’s conflicts had been a problem, especially in the context of China’s principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. However, that obstacle was removed long ago by citing the direct impact of the conflict on China’s core national interests. When the internal affairs of Myanmar became an interferon in China’s domestic affairs, creating social instability and border insecurity, it was seen as having become China’s business, reconciling the gap between the need to intervene and the principle of non-interference. Despite its recent active diplomacy, China has still limited its mediation role to that of a convener and a logistical facilitator rather than an agenda-setter, a broker or an external guarantor. Its role is characterised by a limited bottom line focused on a military ceasefire, rather than a political agreement about the peace mechanism and a power distribution between the Bamar and the ethnic minorities. As such, the process and formality of dialogue is more important than a substantive outcome..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-03
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Title: Myanmar: No sign of lasting peace in Wa State
Sub-title: The far east of Myanmar is run by the country's largest rebel army which unilaterally declared it Wa State.
Description: "In Myanmar, it has been almost four years since a so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement was signed between ethnic rebel armies and the government. But there is still no sign of lasting peace. Some groups are refusing to sign the document, including what is regarded as East Asia’s largest non-state army, which runs an isolated state on the borders with China and Thailand. Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay takes a rare look at the secretive Wa State..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-29
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Title: Myanmar: A Violent Push to Shake Up Ceasefire Negotiations
Description: "A trio of ethnic armed groups have escalated their fight with the military in Myanmar’s Shan State. This alliance has long been outside the country’s peace process. With China’s help, the government should pursue bilateral ceasefires – and longer-term rapprochement – with the three organisations. What’s new? On 15 August, an alliance of ethnic armed groups staged coordinated attacks against strategic targets in northern Myanmar. The offensive left up to fifteen people dead, and clashes reportedly continue in the northern part of Shan State, creating concerns for civilians’ safety. Why did it happen? The three ethnic armed groups behind the attacks have been largely excluded from the peace process for the past five years. In recent months, the government has proposed bilateral ceasefires to the groups but has set unrealistic demands and accompanied the offers with military pressure. Why does it matter? The attacks mark a serious escalation in Shan State’s conflict. They represent a rejection of bilateral ceasefire terms that the Myanmar government has proposed to the armed groups. While the Myanmar military has not yet responded with significant force, the brunt of mounting violence will inevitably fall on civilians. Myanmar’s military has not retaliated in the heavy-handed way many observers expected, given the attacks’ provocative nature. Instead, it has focused on securing key infrastructure and reopening the highway to the border with China. Contrary to most expectations, the military has also extended its unilateral ceasefire from 31 August to 21 September. The government negotiating team has moved quickly to resume talks with the groups, with meetings held on 31 August and 17 September. On 9 September, the Brotherhood Alliance announced a one-month ceasefire but also warned that it would retaliate if attacked. China, which wields strong influence in the border areas and over some of the groups, has also been encouraging dialogue and de-escalation. The Myanmar military could still decide to strike back, however. A counteroffensive would have dire consequences for the area’s civilian population, particularly ethnic Ta’ang (also referred to as Palaung), whom government forces suspect of providing support to the TNLA. Myanmar’s military and, to a lesser extent, the three ethnic armed groups have a history of human rights violations. Already, there are reports of indiscriminate shelling and mortar fire, as well as attacks on local aid groups’ vehicles and civilian cars and trucks on the highway. Thousands of residents have fled their homes, some pre-emptively out of fear of being targeted by forces on either side. Humanitarian access, which is already constrained, is likely to become more difficult..."
Source/publisher: "International Crisis Group (ICG)" (Belgium) via Reliefweb
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-25
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Title: Rebel Alliance Unilaterally Extends Temporary Cease-fire in Myanmar
Description: "Three ethnic armed groups fighting with Myanmar's military in northern Rakhine state and northern Shan state have unilaterally extended a cease-fire until end of this year, according to a statement released by the alliance on Friday. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA), originally declared the ceasefire Sept. 9, and it was to end on Oct. 8. In the announcement, the alliance said it was ready to strike a bilateral cease-fire agreement if the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar's national army is called, was also willing. "On our sides, we will not launch any offensive against the Burmese military. We will cease all offensives," AA spokesman Khine Thukha told RFA's Myanmar Service. "Because this is the time we are holding peace talks, we think it's best to stop all the fighting. That's why we are doing what we can. We expect it is helpful to build trust between the two sides," he added. While Khine Thukha spoke of peace negotiations, he blamed the army for a recent eruption in fighting..."
Source/publisher: RFA (USA) via "SingaporeNews.Net" (Singapore)
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-24
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Title: Ethnic Armed Alliance Extends Ceasefire for Rest of Year
Description: "An alliance of ethnic armed groups that has been fighting the Myanmar military in the northeast and west of the country has extended its unilateral ceasefire until the end of this year, it said in a statement on Friday. The alliance comprises the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA). The move came one day ahead of the expiration of the Myanmar military’s own truce on Sept. 21. Observers described the armed groups’ ceasefire extension as a shrewd political move. The groups “gain a political advantage by announcing the ceasefire,” said U Maung Maung Soe, an ethnic affairs analyst. “While we can’t say for sure whether the fighting will totally stop, the military tensions in Rakhine and northern Shan states are easing,” he said. “It is a response to the military truce,” said Dr. Min Zaw Oo, the director of the Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security. Unlike earlier, he said, the groups now seem to “be serious about the ceasefire”, albeit with conditions. It is not yet known whether the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) will extend for a fourth time its truce in five military commands covering Shan and Kachin states. The military declared the truce—which excludes conflict-torn Rakhine State in western Myanmar—on Dec. 21, 2018, and extended it in April, June and August. Sources close to the military expect Rakhine will again be left out, even if the Tatmadaw extends its truce on Saturday..."
Source/publisher: Reliefweb via "The Irrawaddy"
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-23
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Title: Kachin Political Leaders discuss Myanmar Peace, Dam Project with Chinese Ambassador
Description: "Ethnic Kachin leaders from three political parties in Myanmar’s northernmost state have met with China’s ambassador to the country to discuss the faltering peace process in which the Myanmar government is trying to get its military and nearly a dozen ethnic armies to agree to a permanent cease-fire, a party representative said Monday. They also discussed China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a controversial Chinese-backed mega-dam project, and Chinese laborers working illegally in Kachin state, said G. Aung Khan, chairman of the Kachin Democratic Party (KDP), who participated in the meeting. Ambassador Hong Liang met with the party heads on Dec. 29 in Kachin capital Myitkyina after the same Kachin leaders met with Dan Chugg, the UK’s ambassador to Myanmar, and Scot Marciel, the U.S. ambassador to Myanmar, he said. “Hong Liang had said it is a good time to work on the peace process,” he said. “It seems China can handle Myanmar’s peace process, but we want other countries to be involved.” G. Aung Khan also said that China’s involvement in Myanmar’s peace process, a key project of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian-led government, is based on its own self-interest in mega-projects tied to its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese President Xi Jinping’s U.S. $1 trillion global infrastructure-spending program..."
Source/publisher: "Belt & Road News" (China)
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-21
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Title: Rebel Alliance Unilaterally Extends Temporary Ceasefire in Myanmar
Description: "Three ethnic armed groups fighting with Myanmar’s military in northern Rakhine State and northern Shan State have unilaterally extended a ceasefire until end of this year, according to a statement released by the alliance on Friday. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA), originally declared the ceasefire September 9, and it was to end on October 8. In the announcement, the alliance said it was ready to strike a bilateral ceasefire agreement if the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar’s national army is called, was also willing. “On our sides, we will not launch any offensive against the Burmese military. We will cease all offensives,” said Khine Thukha, spokesperson for the AA in an interview with RFA’s Myanmar Service. “Because this is the time we are holding peace talks, we think it's best to stop all the fighting. That’s why we are doing what we can. We expect it is helpful to build trust between the two sides,” he added. While the spokesperson spoke of peace negotiations, he blamed the army for a recent eruption in fighting..."
Source/publisher: "Radio Free Asia (RFA)" (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-21
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Title: Action to end Myanmar war crimes urged
Summary: "The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (aka Forum-Asia), Progressive Voice and the Karen Human Rights Group are calling on member and observer states of the UN Human Rights Council to take...
Description: "The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (aka Forum-Asia), Progressive Voice and the Karen Human Rights Group are calling on member and observer states of the UN Human Rights Council to take concrete action to ensure justice and accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes perpetrated against ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar. We are deeply concerned regarding the escalation in conflict, particularly in Rakhine and Shan states, and are urging the UNHRC to broaden the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar regularly to document and report violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in that country. Shan state has observed an escalation in conflict since the factions of the Northern Alliance’s Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) carried out attacks against the Myanmar military’s Defense Service Technological Academy at Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Region, as well as a toll gate, customs house and police security outpost on August 15. The military was quick to retaliate, with some of the worst fighting observed in Lashio and Kutkai. In Lashio, the military used Buddhist temples to fire shells into villages, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old farmer. In Kutkai, parents and family grieved the death of three Kachin children due to heavy shelling between the Northern Alliance and the military..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Times"
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-19
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Title: No Cease-fire Deal With Northern Alliance, But Parties Agree to Another Meeting in Myanmar
Description: "Myanmar government peace negotiators and the Northern Alliance group of ethnic armies on Tuesday did not reach an agreement on a bilateral cease-fire to end hostilities between the rebel forces and national military in northeast and western Myanmar, though they decided to meet again for further discussions, spokesmen for the parties said. Myanmar military representatives also participated in the meeting with representatives from the four Northern Alliance groups — the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Arakan Army (AA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) — in the eastern Shan state town of Kengtung. Armed conflict has raged for most of this year between three of the rebel armies and government army in Myanmar’s northern Shan state and between the AA and national soldiers in Rakhine state, leaving scores of civilians and soldiers dead and displacing thousands of local residents. Zaw Htay, director general of the President’s Office, told a news conference that government negotiators and the Northern Alliance agreed to seven points of a draft bilateral cease-fire, including the holding of further talks, the establishment of liaison offices to prevent further fighting, and the return of displaced civilians. He called the talks with the rebel armies positive because they aimed to build trust between the parties, though they yielded no cease-fire agreement. “We had expected to sign [a deal], but they didn’t have a mandate to sign it,” Zaw Htay said. The Northern Alliance has a month-long temporary truce in effect through Oct. 8, while a unilateral cease-fire by the Myanmar military expires on Sept. 21..."
Source/publisher: "Reliefweb" via Radio Free Asia (USA)
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-19
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