The Future Must be Federalism in Burma

Preliminary peace talks between the alliance of ethnic non-state armed groups, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and the Burma government in Chiang Mai, Thailand, over the weekend of 8-9 September resulted in little progress. Meanwhile the Burma Army is simultaneously reinforcing and strengthening its positions in Kachin State, resulting in more armed clashes and causing fear of another major offensive.

Led by Minister Aung Min, the Union Peace Working Committee invited the UNFC to Naypyidaw to sign a nationwide ceasefire accord despite there being no ceasefire agreement with the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), a member of the UNFC. Given the increasing attacks on the Kachin and little tangible progress made in the peace process so far, the UNFC did not immediately accept the offer. The nationwide ceasefire accord signing is a major part of the government’s peace strategy and their plan is for international observers to be present, as well as domestic and international media. For the government, this very public show is important may be important to show the world that progress is being made, their peace plan is working and that perhaps more importantly, Burma is open for business […]

Burma Partnership to Launch Documentary Film: “Guns, Briefcases and Inequality: The Neglected War in Kachin State”

While President Thein Sein is being applauded internationally for his efforts to build peace in Burma, this new documentary film by Burma Partnership questions whether the government’s current process will really lead to sustainable peace and national reconciliation […]

Where Are the Women? Negotiations for Peace in Burma

Women in Burma are effectively excluded from participating in the negotiations for peace. Less than a handful of women have been part of the official talks held between the State and the armed groups, and none of the 12 preliminary ceasefire agreements reviewed for this report includes any references to gender or women. The expertise of local women’s groups in peacemaking and trust building efforts has gone unnoticed, and concerns raised by women are being sidelined. The interest by the dominant funders of the Burmese peace building initiatives, the international community, in advocating for the increased participation of women or for the mainstreaming of gender responsiveness has been, at best, inadequate. This is a worrisome development which requires action from both international and local actors as the continued exclusion of women risks undermining the legitimacy of the entire process […]

Press Statement on Visit to Japan (2/2013)

1. Under the sponsorship of the Nippon Foundation (TNF) a delegation of the UNFC paid a visit to Tokyo, Japan, from April 1 to 5, 2013.

2. The TNF of Japan and the UNFC delegation together reviewed the work of delivering emergency aid in one year period, given by the TNF, to the Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the regions of the ethnic nationalities and had discussions on future programs […]

Building Trust and Peace by Working through Ethnic Health Networks Towards a Federal Union

We, the members of the Health Convergence Core Group (HCCG), welcome the prospect of future political dialogue between the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) to establish a genuine federal union […]

Statement from the Women’s Workshop on Peace-Building and Conflict Transformation

Forty-six women representatives from 31 ethnic women’s organizations from various regions and states of Myanmar held a workshop on peace-building and conflict transformation in Yangon during January 30 – February 1, 2013.

Participating representatives issued the following position statement on the final day of the workshop […]

Deciphering Myanmar’s Peace Process: A Reference Guide

The new nominally civilian government is making serious efforts to achieve peace in Myanmar after more than 60 years of civil war. Peace is critical for ending human suffering and achieving stability; a precondition for overcoming poverty, ensuring long term development and protecting

Statement of 4th Meeting of Central Standing Committee of 14th Congress

The KNU Supreme Headquarters was able to hold well the 4th Central Standing Committee meeting from October 31to November 20, 2012 in the KNU area of Pa-an District […]

The Long Road to Ending Armed Conflict in Burma

On 21 September, people around the world marked the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, a day that highlighted just how far there remains to go to achieve lasting peace in Burma.

While Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was being feted on her first trip to the US in more than two decades, Kachin community members called on Daw Suu to do more for the people in Kachin State. As many as 90,000 people have been displaced due to armed conflict between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army, and have little access to urgently needed humanitarian assistance.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Rangoon on 21 September to call for peace in Burma, and especially in Kachin State. They wore blue headbands and carried signs reading “Stop Civil War” and “Justice Guarantees Lasting Peace” as they walked from City Hall to Inya Lake. Another group of protesters were stopped from traveling to Naypyidaw where they had planned to protest in front of the office of the Burma Army’s Commander-in-Chief; they instead joined the main group.

While authorities did not stop the main protest in Rangoon, the police later questioned 15 activists and have filed charges against them for violating Article 18 of the problematic Law Relating to Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession for demonstrating without official permission. The activists say that they had applied for permission to protest and submitted all the necessary documents, but had been denied by authorities without being given any reason […]

The Six-Point Political Program of the Ethnic Nationalities Regarding the Peace Process

The following six points were agreed to at the Ethnic Nationalities Conference that was held from 14 to 16 September in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The conference was attended by 130 ethnic political leaders, representatives from civil society and armed ethnic groups. This “political roadmap” is their alternative to President Thein Sein’s eight-point peace plan […]