Suu Kyi: Ready to Help Resolve Ethnic Conflicts
By WAI MOEIn this photo taken on Feb. 12, 2011, Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, right, greets members of her National League for Democracy during a cerebration to mark the 64th Union Day at its headquarters in Rangoon. (Photo: AP)
Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Thursday that she is ready to become involved in efforts to resolve ongoing armed conflicts between Naypyidaw and ethnic armed groups.
“I am ready to get involved and try to support ceasefire and peace processes with all of my efforts,” Suu Kyi wrote in an open letter to President Thein Sein and leaders of the ethnic armed groups the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the Karen National Union (KNU), the New Mon State Army (NMSA) and the Shan State Army (SSA).
In the letter, she called for a ceasefire and peaceful solution in the near future to the ongoing conflicts in the interest of “all ethnic people living in the Union of Burma.”
She also said that using force in conflicts only has a bad impact on both sides. She said the military way could not achieve national reconciliation, which could only be reached through political dialogue.
“If we resolve conflict political through dialogue, we will get real national solidarity, which can guarantee the peace of the Union,” the pro-democracy leader said. “We can develop the nation only when the Union is peaceful and stable.”
Suu Kyi said in the letter that the ongoing armed conflicts in Kachin, Shan, Karen and Mon states between the government army and ethnic armed groups have caused local ethnic populations to suffer and also affected neighboring countries.
The new administration led by President Thein Sein came into office on March 30. However, since then, tensions between Naypyidaw and armed groups in ethnic areas in northern and eastern Burma have intensified, with fresh conflicts breaking out with the KIO and the SSA, two former ceasefire groups.
The ethnic groups mentioned in Suu Kyi’s open letter said they would welcome her involvement in efforts to resolve Burma's ethnic tensions as a positive step toward national reconciliation.
“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s efforts for peace are a really good move. Not only ethnic armed groups but also all pro-democracy forces in the country want and have long called for a political dialogue to resolve ongoing conflicts,” La Nan, joint-secretary of the KIO, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, shortly after reading the letter.
Since Suu Kyi is a key political figure in Burma and the country's most internationally recognized figure, her involvement is ceasefire efforts would be good for all ethnic people, La Nan said, adding the KIO leadership is scheduled to discuss the letter.
Zipporah Sein, general secretary of the KNU, said the group welcomes Suu Kyi’s efforts and concern about the conflicts in ethnic areas, adding that “the KNU takes the same stand that conflicts have to be resolved politically through dialogue.”
“We need peace for the Union. But the prolonged conflicts are caused by dictatorships, not ethnic minorities,” she said.
Nai Hang Thar, the secretary of New Mon State Party, said, “We welcome anyone who wants to work for peace, because that is what we need in this country. If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is going to work on it, so much the better.”
In responding to Suu Kyi’s readiness to help resolve conflicts in ethnic area, Col Sai Htoo, the assistant secretary general of the Shan State Army, said he would like to thank the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for her efforts.
“However, real peace and stability in the nation depends on the regime’s willingness to achieve them,” Sai Htoo added.
Possible Ceasefire?
Meanwhile, KIO sources have said that the group appears to be moving closer to a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government.
“According to recent letters from a key government negotiator, including one received today, they [the government] seem to want a ceasefire with Kachin troops as soon as possible,” said La Nan, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday.
“We do not know what kind of dilemmas they are facing, but they seem quite urgent about signing a treaty. But we want a more solid and long-term ceasefire agreement,” he said, adding that the two sides have held talks and exchanged a number of letters in recent days.
He added that Col Than Aung, Kachin State’s minister for security and border affairs, sent a draft ceasefire agreement that now includes a post-ceasefire political dialogue—something that Naypyidaw refused to agree to in the past.
“Previously the government side repeatedly rejected our calls for a nationwide ceasefire, but in the draft agreement we received, the government side acknowledged that a ceasefire in the whole country was needed to achieve a genuine peace,” he added.
He said the KIO wants the government to announce a nationwide ceasefire within 15 days of signing the agreement, and for the ceasefire to come into effect within 48 hours.
Link : :http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21791
“I am ready to get involved and try to support ceasefire and peace processes with all of my efforts,” Suu Kyi wrote in an open letter to President Thein Sein and leaders of the ethnic armed groups the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the Karen National Union (KNU), the New Mon State Army (NMSA) and the Shan State Army (SSA).
In the letter, she called for a ceasefire and peaceful solution in the near future to the ongoing conflicts in the interest of “all ethnic people living in the Union of Burma.”
She also said that using force in conflicts only has a bad impact on both sides. She said the military way could not achieve national reconciliation, which could only be reached through political dialogue.
“If we resolve conflict political through dialogue, we will get real national solidarity, which can guarantee the peace of the Union,” the pro-democracy leader said. “We can develop the nation only when the Union is peaceful and stable.”
Suu Kyi said in the letter that the ongoing armed conflicts in Kachin, Shan, Karen and Mon states between the government army and ethnic armed groups have caused local ethnic populations to suffer and also affected neighboring countries.
The new administration led by President Thein Sein came into office on March 30. However, since then, tensions between Naypyidaw and armed groups in ethnic areas in northern and eastern Burma have intensified, with fresh conflicts breaking out with the KIO and the SSA, two former ceasefire groups.
The ethnic groups mentioned in Suu Kyi’s open letter said they would welcome her involvement in efforts to resolve Burma's ethnic tensions as a positive step toward national reconciliation.
“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s efforts for peace are a really good move. Not only ethnic armed groups but also all pro-democracy forces in the country want and have long called for a political dialogue to resolve ongoing conflicts,” La Nan, joint-secretary of the KIO, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, shortly after reading the letter.
Since Suu Kyi is a key political figure in Burma and the country's most internationally recognized figure, her involvement is ceasefire efforts would be good for all ethnic people, La Nan said, adding the KIO leadership is scheduled to discuss the letter.
Zipporah Sein, general secretary of the KNU, said the group welcomes Suu Kyi’s efforts and concern about the conflicts in ethnic areas, adding that “the KNU takes the same stand that conflicts have to be resolved politically through dialogue.”
“We need peace for the Union. But the prolonged conflicts are caused by dictatorships, not ethnic minorities,” she said.
Nai Hang Thar, the secretary of New Mon State Party, said, “We welcome anyone who wants to work for peace, because that is what we need in this country. If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is going to work on it, so much the better.”
In responding to Suu Kyi’s readiness to help resolve conflicts in ethnic area, Col Sai Htoo, the assistant secretary general of the Shan State Army, said he would like to thank the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for her efforts.
“However, real peace and stability in the nation depends on the regime’s willingness to achieve them,” Sai Htoo added.
Possible Ceasefire?
Meanwhile, KIO sources have said that the group appears to be moving closer to a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government.
“According to recent letters from a key government negotiator, including one received today, they [the government] seem to want a ceasefire with Kachin troops as soon as possible,” said La Nan, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday.
“We do not know what kind of dilemmas they are facing, but they seem quite urgent about signing a treaty. But we want a more solid and long-term ceasefire agreement,” he said, adding that the two sides have held talks and exchanged a number of letters in recent days.
He added that Col Than Aung, Kachin State’s minister for security and border affairs, sent a draft ceasefire agreement that now includes a post-ceasefire political dialogue—something that Naypyidaw refused to agree to in the past.
“Previously the government side repeatedly rejected our calls for a nationwide ceasefire, but in the draft agreement we received, the government side acknowledged that a ceasefire in the whole country was needed to achieve a genuine peace,” he added.
He said the KIO wants the government to announce a nationwide ceasefire within 15 days of signing the agreement, and for the ceasefire to come into effect within 48 hours.
Link : :http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21791
