#Myanmar/#Burma MNDAA China negotiation ceasefire
In recent years, Myanmar's leaders have struggled to reach a nationwide cease-fire and peace agreement.
In October 2015, the Myanmar government signed a ceasefire agreement with the leaders of eight ethnic armed groups, although half of the ethnic armed groups have not signed the agreement, but it still marks a historic progress in the peace process in Myanmar.
In September this year, under the organization of the new government, the 21st Century Panglong Conference was held in Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar. About 750 representatives from Myanmar's government, military, ethnic armed forces, parliament and political parties attended the event. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was also invited to the meeting. In his speech at the opening of the meeting, he expressed the hope that Myanmar will embark on a comprehensive and inclusive road to peace.
Why are there renewed conflicts in the path of the peace process?
Song Qingrun analysis said that the Myanmar government army wants to integrate the ethnic minority armed forces into the border forces under the management of the government, the government forces proposed a series of conditions, such as accepting the unified command of the central government, the government forces to participate in the security management of the ethnic armed areas and border patrol. In addition, ethnic minority armed forces may have to be reduced after integration, which will also involve issues such as the distribution of local revenue and autonomy.
"The ethnic minority armed forces do not accept the integration conditions of the government army, the distribution of interests cannot reach a high degree of agreement, and there are many conflicts in politics, economy, ethnic minority culture, language education. The root causes of conflicts in recent years are mainly these problems." Song Qingrun said.
According to foreign media reports, three of the ethnic minority local armed forces involved in the conflict were not invited to participate in this or the last round of peace talks.
The Beijing News reporter noted that at the press conference after the closing of the "21st Century Panglong Conference", the organizing committee of the conference said that it will hold a meeting every six months in the future, hoping to achieve national peace in 2019 or 2020 through this progressive consultation.
Will the renewed conflict affect this important process of institutionalizing and regularizing the reconciliation dialogue?
Song Qingrun said in this regard, this situation of alternations of fighting and talking has lasted for several years, the most fundamental solution is to eliminate the contradiction in the interests of the two sides, both sides are aware of the need to return to the negotiating table, but sometimes the talk is not pleasant, so the military encounter. Therefore, it will take some time for the conflict to be renegotiated, but the resolution of this conflict is a long-term issue and difficult to solve in the short term, he said.
The civil war in Myanmar has not completely subsided, and peace has not yet fully arrived. The 21st Century Panglong Conference, which will be opened on the 31st, is undoubtedly an important node in Myanmar's peace process, and it is also a historic opportunity to make a choice between peace and civil war.
A year before Myanmar's independence, General Aung SAN, the "father of national independence", and leaders of the Shan, Kachin and Chin ethnic groups met in Panglong town in northern Shan State and reached a consensus on uniting to rid the country of British colonial rule and achieve national independence. This became known as the 1947 Panglong Conference.
However, shortly after independence, due to various reasons, the contradictions between the central government and local ethnic minorities continued to intensify, resulting in the long-term existence of dozens of small and large ethnic minority armed groups. Successive governments in Myanmar have tried to solve ethnic problems by force or through peace talks, but until now they have not been able to fully end the civil war and achieve national peace.
Today, it is gratifying for the Myanmar people that all forces, including the government forces, have realized that force cannot solve the problem of ethnic armed forces, and political dialogue is the only correct way to achieve peace. The National League for Democracy (NLD) government, which came to power in April this year, not only continues to hold high the banner of national reconciliation and accept the political legacy of peace talks left by the previous government, but also speeds up the peace process. Aung SAN Suu Kyi, leader of the ruling party, has repeatedly stressed that without lasting peace across the country, there will be no comprehensive development of the country.
