The nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) on 15 October 2015 called for the formation of a national and regional Joint Monitoring Committees to take care of military matters.

Regional Joint Monitoring Committees, like the JMC-S, are supposed to help keep the peace by monitoring both the Tatmadaw (Burma Army) and troops from the ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) that signed the NCA.

They are supposed to ensure that both sides observe the terms of the NCA, follow the military code of conduct, stay within their designated areas and do not fight with each other. If hostilities do flare up the regional JMCs will have to verify, mediate and manage them.

Major Sai Oo of NCA signatories the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) said: “We discussed the [possibility of an] outbreak of fighting after the NCA signing. After both sides met to find solutions, JMC-S was founded in order to prevent fighting [from happening] again. We see this as a good thing,”

The JMC-S was formed after a series of meetings attended by Lt-Gen Yar Pyae (Chairman of the union-level JMC); the Shan State chief of police and members of the state government as well as representatives from NCA signatories the RCSS, the Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization (PNLO), the  Chin National Front (CNF), and the Karen National Union KNU.

The JMC-S Committee is made up of three representatives from the Tatmadaw, three from the RCSS/SSA-S, two from the PNLO, three civilians, the state police chief and the state administrative secretary.

Colonel Wunna Aung of the Tatmadaw said: “Both sides have to negotiate. It will be very successful if both sides respect the points that they have included in the establishment of the JMC-S,”

The next JMC-S meeting is scheduled for 29 January.

Edited by Mark Inkey for BNI