The Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) leaders have agreed to organize an event on October 28th to mark the 4th Anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. A sub-committee of the PPST members has been formed to organize the event details.
It was also agreed that a Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) would be held, along with government representatives. The JICM is tasked with the implementation details of the National Ceasefire Agreement.
The latest PPST meeting was held in Chiang Mai in Thailand on October 10th to 12th and welcomed 74 participants including, members’ leaders, representatives, advisers, technical support, and office staff from the ten NCA – Signatories ethnic armed groups.
On October 12, the PPST released a statement noting the 4th anniversary represents a historic milestone in the pursuit of sustainable peace through political dialogue.
Acknowledging that the peace process has been stymied over the last year and half, Colonel Sai Ngin a PPST spokesperson, told reporters, “We will try to resolve the obstructions, [by having] formal or informal discussions, whichever is acceptable for everyone. After having the solution, we will then resume the 21st Century Panlong.”
PPST members believe it is necessary to have a foundation that can guarantee the implementation of the peace process beyond 2020 and within the establishment of a federal union. Colonel Sai Ngin is hoping the fourth round of Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong Conference will come to this shared agreement.
Unsubstantiated rumours have contributed to growing tensions in the peace process.
In September, a rumor was spread on Facebook claiming the President had sent a letter sent to government departments to tighten security as the Arakan Army (AA), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the Karen National Union (KNU) and other groups were planning to drop a bomb in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay on either September 26, October 16th and 26th.
Nai Aung Ma Ngay, a PPST spokesperson, and Central Committee member of New Mon State Party (NMSP noted, “there was a rumor [claiming the] CNF and KNU were planning an attack and explosion in the Nay Pyi Taw Council area, which should not have happened. The intention [of the rumour] was to [create] mistrust among us.”
The PPST noted in their media release, that such false news creates misunderstandings for the public and negatively affects trust-building efforts the government and ethnic armed groups are advancing.
