The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) has been reviewing arrangements for attending the Union Peace Conference (also called the 21st Century Panglong Conference) scheduled to start next Wednesday.
UNFC leaders confirmed it’s likely that the alliance that represents nine ethnic armed groups will take part in the peace conference.
Khu Oo Reh, the leader of ethnic armed group alliance’s Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN) said: “If we can join the Conference Organising Committee it’s more certain we will attend (the peace conference).”
The alliance met with representatives of the government’s Panglong Preparatory Committee and political parties last Sunday to discuss the framework for political dialogue and inclusion of non-nationwide ceasefire signatory groups.
It is still unknown if the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and Arakan Army--all of which have actively fought against the Burma Army in the last two years--will be allowed to attend despite the government’s recent pledge that the conference will be “all-inclusive”.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army are members of the UNFC.
The government has announced that no decisions will be made at the conference but that additional peace conferences will take place every six-months.
Reporting by Sai Aung Saing for SHAN
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
