Social rehabilitation and development sectors can advance if peacebuilding can be achieved, noted ed a senior official of the Mon Unity Party.
“There is no significant change in current state development and social rehabilitation. The genuine change and the state development can be achieved through solving the key political problems and building peace,” said Nai Layea Tamah, the Joint Secretary (1) of the Mon Unity Party (MUP) at a discussion on the Myanmar Peace process held in Yangon on January 21st.
The Democratic Force and other ethnic political parties held a meeting to discuss Myanmar Peace Building Process meeting at the Summit Parkview hotel in Yangon.
Rakhine National Party’s Policy Leadership Committee Member, U Hla Saw told media the reason for holding the discussion is because “we have to hold a JICM meeting on the 8th. Then, we will call the UPDJC meeting for the peace process to be implemented, so we need to get ready. We will need to review and gather the potential weakness regarding the peace process, constitutional reform process, and our federal vision of establishing a federal union. Then, we have to negotiate on actions that could be taken in practical ways. It is not yet a solid decision. It is an agreement we have brainstormed.”
Although there was a commitment to hold the peace conference three times in 2018-2019 following the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong (Third-Meeting), it was not held. U Hla Saw noted, that efforts are needed now to avoid future disappointment.
“Peace must be built. Peace must be built to end the civil war. We are positive about peace, but it does work as we wish. There is an obstacle, for example, the current peace process is almost halted,” he continued.
The Democratic Force and ethnic political parties have already met twice, once in Taunggyi, Shan State in October and Mandalay in November.
The results of these discussions have been forwarded to the government, the Tatmadaw, as well as the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs).
