However, the big picture should not be missed – as these three ethnic insurgent groups mostly draw support from China and also operate from the China-Myanmar border lines, hence securing the middle kingdom’s support was both crucial and timely.
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Previous efforts to bring all the ethnic rebel groups to the negotiating table have failed for various reasons, largely the gaping mistrust between successive military governments and the ethnic armed organizations, many of whom have been fighting for autonomy since the formation of the Union of Myanmar in 1948.
After Suu Kyi led her National League for Democracy to power in elections last November, she made the peace process a top priority for her government.
Some 140,000 Rohingya Muslims were displaced after communal violence erupted four years ago between them and Rakhine Buddhists, leaving more than 200 dead and tens of thousands homeless after their houses were destroyed. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent trip to China has been widely associated with Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw’s visit to India, with one Indian daily describing Myanmar as “a theatre of geopolitical competition between India and China”, a Global Times opinion piece said.
Before almost 800,000 participants, he described the summit as a breakthrough for peace in that country and reiterated the United Nations support for the process, said the Vietnamese news agency VNA.
The government, along with many Burmese, consider the Rohingya to be illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
About 120,000 Rohingya now remain in the camps, while thousands of others have fled persecution in the Buddhist-dominated country on rickety boats to other Southeast Asian countries in recent years.
Few expect a concrete deal to emerge from the five-day talks, which are seen as the start of a peace process that could take years.
They include the Karen, Kachin, Shan and Wa, all of which agreed to put down their weapons to attend.
Khua Uk Lian of the Chin National Front, which has its own ceasefire with the military, said he was optimistic but warned fighting would be hard to stop on the ground.
Mr Ban told reporters the Myanmar government “has assured me about its commitment to address the roots of the problem”.
China, India and the West are vying for a share of the vast reserves of jade, tin and prized teak wood in its borderlands that have fueled conflict with ethnic groups.
“The government said these three groups would be accepted only if they announce that they will “give up the policy of armed struggle”, said Thu Wai, 84, the vice-chairman of the steering committee of the conference, without giving details.
Negotiators from Suu Kyi’s government have said privately they are hamstrung by working with the army, which still controls borders, defence and a quarter of parliament seats.
Commander in chief Min Aung Hlaing urged ethnic groups to join the ceasefire, which the previous military-backed government signed with eight groups past year.
Worldwide human rights organizations have documented abuses on both sides of these conflicts, but in particular allegations against the Myanmar Army include extrajudicial killings, rape and torture. Freeman was marked with a red “X” next to the words “We no need Coffee Annan he go away”.
The issue has remained separate from the peace process but has drawn considerable global criticism of Myanmar’s official policies.
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Suu Kyi has dubbed her summit the “21st Century Panglong” in reference to the agreement brokered by her father, who remains a deeply revered figure.
