“We thank the people of India for supporting our ongoing reform process and efforts to achieve peace and national reconciliation”, he said. But he congratulated the participants’ “patience, determination and spirit of compromise”.
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Why are the talks happening now? It ended with the Panglong Agreement signed on the 12 February 1947, signed between Aung San and several – though not all – of the country’s ethnic leaders at the time, committing the country to forming a federal state, prior to Myanmar’s independence from Britain in 1948.
Commander in chief Min Aung Hlaing urged ethnic groups to join the ceasefire, which the previous military-backed government signed with eight groups a year ago.
The Kokang, in particular, are of Chinese origin and live in a strategic China-Myanmar border area, which has sometimes led to their conflict with the Myanmar army spillover onto Chinese soil.
NAYPYITAW/YANGON Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi is launching a major push to end decades of fighting between rebels and the military, with numerous country’s myriad armed groups gathering for a peace conference in the capital Naypyitaw.
Day 2 of the 21 Century Panglong Conference saw the walk-out of a certain delegation that represents Myanmar’s largest and most powerful ethnic army – the United Wa State Army (UWSA).
All armed ethnic groups, which have tens of thousands of fighters between them, were invited and most are attending.
What deal is likely to be reached?
He was referring to the initiative by Suu Kyi to bring three armed rebel groups to the negotiating table with China’s help.
Modi said India’s engagement with Myanmar supported projects in connectivity, infrastructure, capacity building education, healthcare and many other sectors.
Suu Kyi’s party, also Bamar, got surprisingly strong support from minority communities in November’s elections, winning around a third of the vote.
He emphasized the need for continuous measures to enhance stability to reduce aggression and build trust among armed groups, adding that these endeavors would facilitate the political dialogue which would pave way for federalism. The group would like to hold onto their arms until a deal is reached.
“It is out of goodwill that they have been included the peace process”, he said.
“My current visit to India is aimed at enhancing the traditional ties of friendship between the two governments”, Htin Kyaw said after talks with Modi.
Suu Kyi, who said little at Tuesday’s joint appearance with Ban, has not consulted the groups about the date of the conference or the specific agenda, diplomats familiar with the situation said.
Annan will advise Myanmar’s new government on resolving conflicts in Rakhine, a region divided on religious grounds and home to the stateless Muslim Rohingya. Many government officials brand the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh even though many can trace their ancestry in Myanmar.
“We give equal rights to them and gave them a front row seat”.
Mr Ban told reporters the Myanmar government “has assured me about its commitment to address the roots of the problem”.
On June 20, the United Nations human rights office said Rohingyas in the Southeast Asian country were subject to multiple and aggravated forms of human rights violations, including citizenship denial, forced labor and sexual violence.
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Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has come under fire from worldwide rights groups for failing to address the plight of the Rohingya.
