“It is very difficult to facilitate the ceasefire watch agenda because this has to be done between two armed groups. No mistakes should be made. We can only proceed our agendas after we get to understand the people from rural areas. We open township level offices to continue providing training to the locals and open their eyes,” said Min Soe Naing, Joint-Secretary of Mon State’s Civil Ceasefire Watch Committee.
About 30 representatives, including Ye Township Administrator, Township Police Chief Officer, Ward Administrator and Ye Township’s civil society group, were in attendance at the opening ceremony of the office.
“Instead of just having only big [government and ethnic armed group related] organisations observe themselves, if we could have watch groups monitor what is really happening here on the ground and submit it, it would be more effective and different, respective groups can also see it,” said U Moe Zaw Naing, Ye Township Administrator.
According to Min Aung Htoo, Secretary of Mon State Civil Ceasefire Watch Committee, this particular ombudsman has already provided training 14 times in 5 townships. With participants throughout Yebyu Township in Tenasserim Division, Mudon, Thanbyuzayat and Ye townships in Mon State and Kawkareik and Kyarinnseikkyi townships in Karen State. The training had trainees gain awareness and knowledge of the complexity of the ceasefire agreement.
Min Aung Htoo said, ”To be able to observe and watch the areas where the NMSP troops and government troops used to battle, when we open training we usually give invitations to priority participants from such areas. We will also work hard to be able to establish village-level committees.”
“To accomplish the our committee’s agenda, we have approached the state government and the NMSP, provided training in rural areas to raise awareness, and have opened township level committees. At the moment, we have opened our offices in townships, and in Mon State we now have offices in Mudon, Kyaikmayaw, Thanbyuzayat and Ye townships, while there is an office in Kawkareik Township, in Karen State,” Min Aung Htoo postulated.
On June 6, 2013, about 118 representatives from civil society organizations and political parties had a workshop in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State. 15 representatives were chosen for the founding committee and on July 13, 2013, Mon State Civilian Ceasefire Watch Committee was launched.
