The
Government of Myanmar (Burma) has welcomed peace gesture proposed in the
statement issued by KIO's Central Committee on February 1, 2013, as per Press
Release (6/2013) of its Information Team via the state-run newspapers on 2
February.
GOM
said that it has believed the legitimate peace desired by all people can be
achieved only through political dialogue. The Government welcomes peace efforts
assisted by ethnic ceasefire groups and other organizations in an attempt to support
the Union Peace Working Committee and KIO/KIA to resume peace talks and put an
end to armed conflicts, according to the press release.
According
to the 7Days News Journal, government peacemaking team and ethnic KIO peace
delegation will hold talks in the
Chinese border town of Ruili in China on 4 February (Monday), after severe
fighting in the Kachin State of Burma nearly 18 months.
On
11 January 2013, the Lower House of Burma (Myanmar) made a request to Union
Peacemaking Central Committee and KIO/KIA at the second day sixth regular
session of the First People's Parliament. The call made by the Lower House to
Union Peace-making Central Committee and KIO/KIA says the members of parliament
have felt sadness for local people of Kachin state who have been suffering the
consequences of the ongoing war. The fighting caused loss of both sides due to
daily armed conflicts in Kachin state, it says.
The
request keeps on saying that there have been difficulties to hold talks between
the members of peace-making team of the government and representatives of
KIO/KIA as military action swelling in the region continuously. The request
letter says to ease the military tensions in favor of the people's voices while
building trust through the negotiation. Hence, it would pave the way for the
lasting peace, says the request letter signed by the Lower House Speaker Thura
Shwe Mann.
The
key point of disagreement between the KIO and the military-backed government is
the attitude with the 1947 Panglong Agreement. KIO has declared that it will
talk through the ethnic alliance, the United Nationalities Federal Council
(UNFC), keeping on the spirit of the Panglong Agreement.
On
the contrary, the military-backed government made its negative response of
peace talks based on the principles of the 1947 Panglong Treaty advised by the
Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). The government sticks to the 2008
controversial constitution as the guideline for the peace talks.
The
landmark Panglong Agreement mainly guaranteed self-determination of the ethnic
minorities and offered a large measure of autonomy, including independent
legislature, judiciary and administrative powers. However, the dream of
equality and a federal union is far from being realized some six decades after
signing the Panglong Agreement.
The new constitution, approved in a May 2008 referendum, is inundated with misleading principles. It says the country must be united under one military command. To bring the ethnic groups in line with this proviso, the military regime has ordered all armed rebel groups to become part of Burma's border guard force ahead of the 2010 election.
Ethnic minorities have been suffering through five decades of immoral military operations in the name of national unity. Attacks on these rural civilians continue on a daily basis. There is a constant demand from Burma's ethnic groups to enjoy equal political, social and economic rights. The Constitution must guarantee the rights of self-determination and of equal representation for every ethnic group in the Parliament. It must also include provisions against racial discrimination.
During
the June-2004 National Convention sponsored by the previous junta, 13 ceasefire
groups put forward a political offer demanding equal access to the plenary
session. But the convention's convening committee dismissed the proposal as
improper. When the 2008 Constitution came out, none of the political points
proposed by the ethnic representatives were included.
On
this political issue, there is a big gap between the military junta and the NLD
led by Aung San Suu Kyi. To the military autocrats, allowing the ethnic
minorities to enjoy equal political, social and economic rights is a risk towards
a collapse of sovereignty.
To
the NLD and ethnic alliance parties, granting equal rights to ethnic minorities
will certainly guarantee peace, stability and prosperity of the country.
Actually, the military-backed government leaders strongly support the unitary
state instead of a federal union state. On the other hand, the NLD and ethnic
leaders continuously demand in favor of a democratic federal union state.
At
the first Union Parliament second regular session on 22 August 2011, President
Thein Sein said, "We know what happen to people and what people want. And we
are striving our best to fulfill their needs to the full extent. To conclude my
speech, I promise that our government as a democratically-elected government
will do our best for the interests of the people."
If
the president really knows what people want, he should think about amending of
the controversial constitution in which none of the political aspirations
suggested by the ethnic representatives was integrated.
If
the existing government truthfully committed to start political reforms, the
first thing it should bear in mind is providing access to debate on
constitutional flaws in the parliament.
Without a debate on the 2008 Constitution by all stakeholders, Burma will not rise above its political fiasco including the Kachin conflict.