Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, talks to reporters during the joint press conference with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi at Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 30, 2016.
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Negotiations on a permanent peace are expected to last months if not years.
Aung San Suu Kyi promised that bringing peace would be her top priority when her government assumed power earlier this year after decades of military rule. “Only if our country is at peace will we be able to stand on an equal footing with the other countries in our region and across the world”.
“We thank the people of India for supporting our ongoing reform process and efforts to achieve peace and national reconciliation”, he said.
“I congratulate the participants for the patience, determination and spirit of compromise”, said Mr Ban.
Why are the talks happening now?
Since Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948, it has seen over a half-century of armed conflict, with ethnic rebels embarking on a longstanding battle for greater autonomy and self-administration.
The previous military-backed government brokered individual truces with various insurgent groups and oversaw a cease-fire covering eight minor insurgencies a year ago that fell short of a nationwide deal. The MNDAA, made up of ethnic Chinese Kokangs, waged fierce battles with the army in 2015 that displaced tens of thousands of people.
This is the first top-level engagement between India and Myanmar since pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi rode to power in Myanmar.
In an attempt to strike a rapport with Suu Kyi, China has had a key role in pushing groups it has armed to join the peace conference.
Representatives from 17 of the country’s 20 major ethnic groups are attending, including the Karen, Kachin, Shan and Wa.
What deal is likely to be reached?
Myanmar shows what is possible, when leaders listen to their people’s genuine aspirations, genuine concerns of the people and genuine dreams of where this country should proceed.
He said this step was fitting, considering the bonds of friendship, culture, spirituality and history that unite India-Myanmar as he congratulated his counterpart on the historic victory of the National League for Democracy in the general election held in November previous year.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with Win Myint (centre), Speaker of Lower House of Parliament of the Republic of Myanmar and Mahn Win Khaing Than (right), Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament.
On July 1, Yanghee Lee, the United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar, said Myanmar’s government should immediately end the deep discrimination practiced against the Rohingya and other Muslims in Rakhine.
The government, along with many Burmese, consider the Rohingya to be illegal Bangladeshi migrants. They are not formally recognised by law and have no voting rights.
Ban will call on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday before flying to Myanmar.
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“The long civil war has cost numerous lives and robbed successive generations of their dignity, tranquillity and normalcy”, he said during a speech to delegates”, said Ban.
