Statement by Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) | June 9, 2015

The Summit of the Ethnic Armed Organizations’ top leaders was held successfully at the KNU Headquarters’ Law Khee Lar Camp in Pa-an District, Karen State, for eight days, from June 2 to 9, 2015. The summit was attended by 108 representatives and observers from 17 Ethnic Armed Organizations, 11 members of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), 5 members of the NCCT technical assistance team, and specially invited personages, a total of 190 persons including office staff members.

Attending in honor of the summit were the Special Adviser on Burma to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Vijay Nambiar, and his assistant; the Special Envoy on Asian Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Sun Guoxiang and team members; and Mr. Yuji Mori of the Nippon Foundation of Japan.

At the summit, the NCCT, formed and mandated at the First Laiza Conference held in November 2013, together with submitting the report on its activities performed in over one and a half years’ period and clarifying the preliminary outcome, the approved Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) draft, offered advice on agendas the summit conference should continue to carry out in the future.

The top leaders attending the summit were able to critically review and discuss in depth the NCA (approved draft), which was signed by the UPWC and NCCT on March 31, 2015, and reconfirm it with amendments.

For conclusive negotiation with the government over the necessary points, on the basis of the said draft, the summit conference formed the “EAOs’ Nationwide Ceasefire High-Level Delegation” with 15 leaders of the Ethnic Armed Organizations and which is to meet with responsible persons on the government side, as soon as possible to negotiate with them until a final NCA acceptable to both sides is achieved.

In the determining the list of organizations that are to sign the final NCA to be achieved in the negotiation by high-level representatives of the two sides, the summit, in addition to making a reference to the Law Khee Lar “Principle” laid down in January 2014, was able to decide for the inclusion of all organizations, which accept the NCA.

Moreover, the organizations attending the summit, studied the political framework and basic guidelines (proposed draft) formulated by the NCCT for political dialogue and the conference was able to gather their views and suggestions.

The meeting of top leaders was able to put on record and honor the NCCT’s endeavor, made in a period of over one and a half years, and make the decision for it to cooperate with the “High-Level Delegation”.

We sincerely make the statement that all the Ethnic Armed Resistance Organizations will endeavor consistently for peace, yearned for by the entire people made up of various ethnic nationalities, based on a genuine federal union, having full democracy, national equality and self-determination, since we have the ability to resolve unanimously for proceeding with a process for a just and long lasting peace, and select and give mandate to a “High-Level Delegation for NCA”.

Download statement here (PDF) in English | Burmese

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