NCA Signatories Want Other Armed Groups Included in Peace Process

By Chan Thar / The Myanmar Times | November 2, 2018

Signatory groups of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement are seeking the participation of non-signatory ethnic armed groups to the peace process.

“It’s everyone’s wish for non-signatory groups of the NCA to participate in the peace process,” Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong, representative of ethnic groups which signed the NCA and deputy chair of Chin National Front (CNF) said during the opening of the three-day talks yesterday.

“We’

[NCA members] are working to negotiate with the non-signatories. Please take into consideration from all sides to get these groups involved,” he added.

The three-day meeting among the representatives of the NCA signatories and the government is being held that the Yangon National Reconciliation and Peace Centre and is aimed at clarifying issues in the peace process that have yet to see substantive progress.

U Aung Soe, one of the government and Tatmadaw representatives attending the talks, called for a framework for political discussion so talks would be more successful in the future.

Two days after the government and eight armed groups have signed the NCA in October 2015, the procedures, topics and methods for political discussions was drafted in a rush and so, it has been amended 11 times.

NCA-non-signatory groups United Wa State Army (UWSA), Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), Shan State East National Democratic Alliance Association (NDAA) and Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) were invited to the conference but they didn’t attend the first day of the meeting.

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This article originally appeared on The Myanmar Times on November 2, 2018.