'Media Influences in Myanmar Peace Process'
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NP News - April 5
Lt. Gen. Min Naing is Secretary, National Solidarity & Peace-making Negotiation Committee, Myanmar | 08 February 2025
Meaning of Peace and Myanmar Peace Process
Peace means the creation of togetherness among innocent civilians in the state of no anxietie, no war, while solving differences among people. Johan Galtung, a first peace researcher of Oslo University, described peace as an absence of violence as well as solving other societal problems based on justice among peoples, and the comprehensive development of a nation. Peace aims to eliminate attacks, violence and societal disagreements that consequently allows all beings to live peacefully.
Due to negative impacts of colonialism, the unity of ethnic peoples of Myanmar was destroyed and various differences emerged between different groups. After gaining independence, the country tried to practice democracy and sustained it for a decade. To rebuild a nation that was on the margins of being devastated, Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) had to exert strenuous efforts through successive governments, with the aim to achieve national solidarity and sovereignty while striving for developing a democratic nation desired by people.
The Government in Myanmar has systematically built three pillars, such as administration, legislation and judiciary while attempting to achieve a genuine democratic system. Tatmadaw indeed made strenuous efforts in its respective role in 2010 and 2015 General Elections to ensure clean and just elections. Relating to general elections held in November 2020, there were voting irregularities and frauds leading to the Government declaring a State of Emergency. The attempt by Tatmadaw for negotiation in line with political culture was not successful. Therefore, in accordance with Section 417 of 2008 Constitution, the interim President transferred the State’s responsibilities to Commander-in-Chief of Defences by negotiating with the National Defence and Security Council and announced the State of Emergency.
The objective of the State Administration Council has been to build a Union based on federalism and democracy through the practice of genuine multiparty democracy system. The Government will choose the most suitable elections system depending on contemporary politics in order to develop future generations with the full qualifications to participate in governing bodies and to act as representatives of Hluttaw to lead a nation. The State Administration Council has been prioritizing two national tasks, which are prosperity of a nation and food sufficiency, and two political tasks to strengthen genuine and disciplined, flourishing multiparty democratic system and to build a Union based on Democracy and Federalism.
In order to continue the momentum of peace process, agreements with ethnic armed groups and matters related to peace-making under discussion and to effectively implement the working process of national solidarity and peace-making, the State Administration Council established three committees that are:
• National Solidarity and Peacemaking Central Committee (NSPCC),
• National Solidarity and Peacemaking Working Committee (NSPWC) and
• National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee (NSPNC)
The NSPNC has been carrying out relevant processes for minimizing armed attacks and developing bilateral agreements in order to strengthen the peace process with the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), who are signatories of NCA, and stakeholders of peace processes including political parties, as well as in order to encourage EAOs, who are non-signatories of NCA, to sign the agreement.
The role of media
The news is a kind of nutrient for people and it portrays both good and bad news. The nature of human is that they would like to know all good news as well as bad news. The good news is strength for intelligence, analytical skills and wisdom whereas the bad news produces reverse affects. Relating to good and bad views on media, today’s era is influenced by negative views and the role of media to spread true news is critically important. Media plays a role to promote knowledge of information in every society. The good act of media is highlighting false news, injustice and social disagreements to be averted. The media helps promoting knowledge and creating constructive results from different policies of world.
Challenges of fake news on peace process
In the context of the peace process, the role of media highlights matters of security and stability. On the other hand, media not only shares the correct information but also shares fake news, which creates problems, and problems an create challenges for peace process. In conflict zone, fake news and news with diverse opinions induces more conflicts. The cooperation is more effective for peace process if the sources of the news and information are reliable. Although free press of Media, some medias are biased and politically indoctrinated. Media is used as a weapon and as a force to change a destiny of a nation. Contemporary media does not have ethics and portrays one-sided information of other groups, which support them. It is found that international media refers the facts and information of local opposition parties without reflecting the on-ground situation. We need to criticize and analyze the misinformation and disinformation. We need to be especially cautious of misinformation, disinformation and mal-information so that it will not cause a stir between the Government and people, as well as between the Government and local and international communities. Regardless of the types of news, it has effects on society and creates anxiety. There is a saying that a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. False news rather than true news are posted on digital media such as Facebook, Tiktok and Instagram, creating obstacles for the peace process.
Challenges on the Path to Peace
Tatmadaw has assumed State’s responsibilities and established the State Administration Council in cooperation with the military and civilians. Holding a free and fair election is the ultimate goal and it is widely announced since the assumption of State’s responsibilities. After political changes, a non-violent demonstration gradually led to anarchy and riots. This armed violence has started under the leadership of some extreme parties. Some youths were incited to attend terrorist trainings under armed groups which do not have genuine attitude towards a nation and do not want peace. Later, the so-called PDF groups, terrorist organizations, were formed. Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), both signatories and non-signatories of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), cooperated with the so-called PDF and committed crimes like using mines on public roads, bridges, electrical towers, burning down residential towns and villages, killing innocent civilians, forced recruitment of new members, destroying public and state’s properties, attacking on military posts of Tatmadaw. Until now, they have been frightening innocent civilians with their random attacks, killings and bombing nationwide. Civilians those who cannot flee to a place away from the terrorist organizations has been suffering both physically and mentally including anxiety and fear. People in the region have been facing poverty with the damaged effects on socio-economic, health and education system. Some armed organizations took an advantage of instability of a nation and attempted to gain territorial control.
Regardless of democracy and ethnic affairs, their action is leading towards insurgency and is leading to a situation that needs to solve it by means of war. A nation’s security is in complete danger and shaping of peace will be disrupted if many armed groups are opposing a Government. If there are no terrorists, genuine peace will be suitably developed regardless of any political system. Destructive violence needs to be prevented in building a nation, which is one of the responsibilities of Tatmadaw.
Sustainable and Perpetual Peace and the importance of international community
Armed conflict was born with the independence in Myanmar and there is indeed a complex political background to it. Consecutive Government tried to solve it and it is still unsolved. Since there are negative impacts of armed conflict for many years, it is necessary to raise awareness on peace among people in order to understand the benefits of sustainable and perpetual peace and to strengthen the emotional trust and confidence of national races in their respective region.
The Government is committed to transferring nation’s responsibilities to a winning party, a new Government, depending on elections results after holding free and fair multiparty general elections. The NSPNC opens door for negotiation without pre-conditions in any situation for ethnic armed organizations that do not yet come to peace table. When they come to table, NSPNC will ensure EAOs will pursue perpetual peace by encouraging them to keep engaging in peace process through dialogue and flexibility.
It is necessary to fully provide different security, healthcare, education and human rights for people suffering in conflict region, particularly children, women and the elderly. Although the Government has main responsibilities for managing and governing those sufferings, the provision of Government should not be interrupted and the cooperation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and international community is important. With the support of CSOs, it will be helpful for promoting world security through political openness and shaping of future peace in order to protect psychological health and socio-economic lives.
When the Government solves challenges for peace, international cooperation plays an important role. Myanmar practices independent, active and non-aligned foreign policy. Moreover, based on 5 principles of peaceful co-existence, policy of friendly relations with all countries is adopted and politics, economics and international relations with neighboring countries are being emphasized. The two countries of India and Myanmar have traditional friendly relations based on mutual understanding and friendship. In line with the ethics of Indian civilization, ICWA held first dialogue on Constitutionalism and Federalism in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, in the first week of June and the second dialogue was held in first week of November 2024 in New Delhi, India for mutual benefits of two countries including sharing knowledge and exchanging experiences. During the dialogue, the matters of power-sharing, responsibility and accountability among Central Government and States and Regions Government in accordance with the Constitution were widely discussed.
Conclusion
At present, there are reporters and news media attempting to change a nation’s destiny. People are realizing that there exist unconstructive and unreliable news media and reporters. Moreover, people are also starting to realize there are fabricated news that intends to destroy livelihoods of innocent civilians, to incite terrorists and to stir worries of people. National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiating Committee (NSPNC), that is mainly implementing objectives of Myanmar Peace Process, has been applying an approach to dialogue and finding a solution from all possible sides that prioritize dialogue, inclusion and trust building among stakeholders who has been handling Myanmar Peace Process. Having dialogue and finding a solution is a foundation for building a democracy and federalism. Therefore, peace dialogues, workshops on Peace Process Review, Security Integration and Confidence Building, dialogues on negotiation and mediation were also held. In addition, the NSPNC has been disseminating true news and informing work of peace process timely to the public through https://nspnc.gov.mm, https://nca.gov.mm and https://infosheet.org. The ultimate aim of Government, Tatmadaw and People is to develop a peace, stable and developed nation without armed conflicts in the future. The NSPNC firmly believes that priority should be given on ending armed conflicts. To achieve sustainable and perpetual peace, the most important thing is that the parties involved in conflict needs to develop trust on the process. Indeed, there are challenges for building trust. Developing trust on sectors of military, politics, culture and security is truly important for starting a negotiation that can solve a conflict. This paper is dedicated to my sincere wish that all the parties involving in Myanmar Peace Process will continue implementing sustainable and perpetual peace.