Myanmar armed groups raise proposal for joining ceasefire

Non-signatory armed groups in Myanmar have raised an eight-point proposal to the government towards signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA), officials said on Sunday.

The non-signatory armed groups were represented by the United Nationalities Federal Council’s (UNFC) Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN), Xinhua news agency reported. Discussions on the undisclosed proposal were underway between the government’s Preparatory Committee for Holding the 21st Century Panglong Conference and the DPN in Yangon’s National Reconciliation and Peace Centre on Saturday.

Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for Holding the Panglong Conference Tin Myo Win described the talks as productive enough to facilitate the peace process, while DPN’s second leader Guan Maw called the discussions constructive, pledging to do their best and find the common ground to join the Panglong conference.

According to sources, the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), ethnic armed groups and the Preparatory Committee for Panglong Conference will continue discussing the political framework at the peace centre on Sunday.

The UPDJC has agreed to allow non-signatory armed groups to the NCA to join the 21st Century Panglong Ethnic Conference slated to start on August 31 in Nay Pyi Taw.

Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also chairperson of the UPDJC made up of representatives of the government, ethnic armed groups and political parties, called for mutual trust and unity to successfully hold the upcoming 21st Century Panglong Ethnic Conference.