The seventh meeting to agree the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) between the government’s Union-Level Peace Working Committee (UPWC) and the ethnic Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) resumed in Yangon on 17 March.
U Hla Maung Shwe a senior advisor from the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) said: “We still have to discuss the last eight points in this meeting before the talks can be completed and the NCA signed.”
Before the NCA meeting, Dr. Sai Mauk Kham, the vice president and chairman of UPWC met with representatives of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) to improve understanding between the UPWC and the KIO before the NCA meeting.
In a speech Nai Hongsa, the leader of the NCCT said: “If the government and KIO can build understanding it will really help the NCA and mean the NCA could be signed. If we can get a mutual agreement with the government in this meeting we can build a sustainable peace and an inclusive [including all the ethnic armed groups] political dialogue can be held.”
In the same meeting he called for talks to stop the fighting in the Kachin, Paloung, and Kokang areas and to bring about a peaceful solution to student’s and worker’s protests across the country.”
Those attending the seventh NCA meeting included from the government side: U Aung Min, vice chairman of UPWC, minister U Thein Zaw, minister U Ohn Myint, minister U Khin Ye, Lt. Gen. Myint Soe, Lt. Gen. Thet Naing Win and MPC members. Attendees from the ethnic armed groups included: Nai Hongsa, Bri. Gen. Guam Maw, Phado Kwel Htoo Win, Col. Khun Okkar (Paoh force).
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
