Myanmar’s NCA takes odyssey to peacebuilding
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Tun Mon Thet (NP News) - Oct 8
Although peace is not merely the absence of armed conflict and it is an environment in which the society can formulate development and potentialities for the nation building with shared-future among the society members: individuals or the whole community, the ceasefire is the very first step to making progress in the arena of the peacebuilding.
Without peace, a harmonious circumstance with tranquility, a sense of security, and the rule of law cannot be developed, and no doubt that many Global South nations are still struggling with those bitterness.
Myanmar, located in the Southeast Asian region on the coastal line to the Indian Ocean, has been fighting to leave out from the 70-year-long internal conflict. Wars, invasions by various means, imperialism, and numerous sanctions imposed by the West bloc add to the country’s civil war tempo as the catalysts.
Signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) will turn its 9th anniversary on upcoming October 15 amid the country’s current clashes in many territories.
Although the NCA has not brought eternal peace to Myanmar with different priorities and interests, it very differs from previous ceasefire agreements in Myanmar as the NCA which was signed in 2015 was not only the bilateral between the Tatmadaw and the armed groups, but it was the multilateral agreement. It involved the government, Tatmadaw, and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), and was witnessed by political parties, the European Union, the United Nations, China, Norway, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The majority of the provisions, terms, and conditions agreed in the NCA were proposed and advocated by the EAO side, not by the government or Tatmadaw. In fact, the NCA could be signed after a series of negotiations and conferences were held in many ethnic regions from 2012 to 2015.
Two weeks ahead of the 9th Anniversary of signing the NCA, the State Administration Council (SAC) invited armed insurgents including the ethnocentric armed organizations and PDF terrorists to turn into the legal fold so as to participate in the State- and nation-building processes through the election approach. The SAC’s Information Team issued this time peace invitation on 26 September 2024.
In point of fact, the SAC has already declared the Arakan Army (AA), MNDAA, and TNLA as terrorist groups. The declaration was made in early September.
The move came after a series of mediations and facilitating efforts made by China for peace restoration in Myanmar in recent months. Vicious military attacks launched by the racist and ferocious armed terrorists in the northern Shan State – the MNDAAs (Kokang group) and the TNLAs (Ta’ang group) – have been halted after the official visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Naypyidaw in August.
Having good neighbours is a welcome blessing.
No matter how harsh and hostile the United States’ instigations are to flame worse the internal conflicts of Myanmar, neighbours in Asia, especially China and India, do not want the situation to get chronic and persistent.
As per information, the Indian Council for World Affairs invites representatives from the political parties, non-partisan stakeholders, and armed organizations with the consent of Myanmar’s SAC to discuss ‘Federalism and Constitution’ next month. The invitation process has been commenced on October 1.
Amid escalating military tension in Rakhine State, Chin State, and Sagaing Region, the talk also intends to extend the possible involvements of the AA, CNF (Chin National Front), and the KIA (Kachin Independence Army) or the non-stakeholders close to them. However, no lead has been reported that the exile NUG terrorists (so-called National Unity Government) is included in the schedule.
A total of ten EAOs signed the NCA in 2015 while seven other EAOs including KIA (Kachin), UWSA (Wa), and NDAA (Mongla) refused it. The signatory groups involved All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), Arakan Liberation Party, CNF, DKBA, Karen National Union (KNU), the KNU/ KNLA – Peace Council, Lahu Democratic Union, New Mon State Party, Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA) and Restoration Council of Shan State.
Despite signing it before the witness of the international observers – EU, the UN, China etc. – some groups such as ABSDF, CDF, some KNU brigades, and the PNLA breached and violated this national-level contract after 2021 and led the destructive reforms unavoidably with nationwide clashes. It is, thus, can be said as a kind of disgracing the national-level initiated peace agreement.
War is the development issue. In the war, it is not only deaths, destructions, displacing, sacrificing the lives of many, and lack of education, but many consequences of social, political, and economic hardships come together; then, pushing the country into the poverty loop cycle. As long as there are battles in the territories, formulation of the development and the rights issues which the ethnocentric groups have been advocating for will still be the very long journey to fulfill.
Things that have to be taken into account are that the towns and territories recently seized by illegal ways and military assaults should not be involved in negotiation and compromise in the upcoming peace-building or negotiating talks. Besides, to ensure the eternal peace and development, the armed organizations must surrender their weapons.