Amidst recent political developments in Burma, people living in border areas and ethnic regions are hoping that these will lead to genuine peace with in Burma. Similarly, the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees living on the Thailand-Burma and China-Burma borders are eagerly waiting to safely return to their homes.
Ethnic groups have been in dangerous and fearful conditions since 1948, the year Burma gained independence. They have expressed that they still doubt whether both the government and the ethnic armed groups are truly sincere about securing peace, considering the long history of conflict. Each and every ethnic group has continually hoped for peace, maintaining this hope in their minds, hearts and religious ceremonies.
In order for President Thein Sein and his government to prove that they are sincere in attaining peace in Burma, they must take into consideration the recent history of conflict within Burma. President Thein Sein and his government officials, or peace brokers, must attempt to understand why the ‘ethnic people have taken up arms against and have revolted against the successive government’. They need to understand why the groups have not yet abandoned their armed struggles, and what their needs and fears are.
It will be impossible for the U Thein Sein government to solve Burma’s problems without truly understanding the political demands of the people and Burma’s long political history. If the President truly believes that the current armed insurgencies are purely for destabilizing the country, he has not grasped the true nature of Burma’s issues. The government must understand that they cannot continue to wage war against their own citizens and cannot continue without the support and assistance of all the people. If the government continues to insist that ethnic political organizations are illegal and continue to abolish and restrict these, it will be near impossible for the peace process to continue. The government must recognize the political demands and desires of the people.
The ethnic armed groups equally hold the responsibility of being well prepared and purposeful when in dialogue with the government, whether during ‘ceasefire talks’ or in future dialogues. They must cooperate with the government when there is a call for ceasefires and peace. These opportunities are important chanced to ‘open the door’ to peace in Burma. The ethnic armed groups, whether they like it or not, must recognize that it is essential to be in dialogue with the government.
The peace process is under way in Burma. The cessation of hostilities between the government and ethnic groups is an important first step in the ongoing dialogue for peace. These talks are also an important way for each ethnic armed group to communicate with the government. Each group has a unique history of conflict with the government and a unique geographic history within Burma, and it is important that this understood and addressed. However, although each group is unique, in the broader political framework, each ethnic group has similar political objectives. It is essential that the groups organize and cooperate and approach the government with a unified voice and shared demands.
The government and ethnic armed groups must work together to find a ‘win-win’ solution. They must ensure genuine peace for the entire country and simultaneously satisfy the needs of the ethnic people in order for the fighting to stop. The ethnic opposition groups need political space to represent their people and guarantee ethnic minority rights before they will be satisfied. The final ‘win-win’ solution for both the government and ethnic groups will be one in which there is a stable union and unity amongst the ethnic people of Burma.
