United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) Joint Secretary Hkun Okker told reporters in Tokyo, yesterday, international observers are needed to monitor ongoing ceasefire agreements between ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar government.
The UNFC - an alliance of armed ethnic minority groups - was invited to Tokyo by the Nippon Foundation, Japan’s largest philanthropic organization.
The Nippon Foundation has offered emergency aid, which includes food and medicine, for more than one-million displaced people in Myanmar. The aid is valued at about 240 million yen (US $3 million).
During the meeting, representatives of both groups discussed how to utilize and distribute humanitarian aid supplies to ethnic minorities in Myanmar.
Hkun Okker said the UNFC will move forward with ceasefire agreements in order to make the aid available. However, he stressed the ceasefires need to be monitored if they are going to lead to lasting peace.
The Myanmar government has signed ceasefire agreements with 10 of the country's 11 largest ethnic armed groups. However, the ceasefires are still fragile, due to a lack of between the ethnic groups and the central government after more than half a century of conflict.
