2017年CRI How far can the peace process go in Myanmar?

 

A top official of the Myanmar government's Peace Commission has met with representatives from the 7 major armed ethnic¹ groups from the North on the sidelines of the ongoing² second session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in the capital, Nay³ Pyi Taw.

This is considered a positive sign for the national reconciliation⁴ and peace process in Myanmar, home to what's arguably the world’s longest-running civil war.

Tin Myo Win, Chairman of the Myanmar government's Peace Commission, has held a 3-hour meeting with the members of the 7 armed ethnic groups, 3 of which are attending the conference for the first time.

Tin Myo Win, Chairman of the Myanmar government's Peace Commission, meets the media after holing a three-hour meeting with the members of the seven armed ethnic groups attending the second session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in Nay Pyi Taw on May 25, 2017. [Photo: China Plus/Tu Yun]

"We all have the same goal, which is peace and the wellbeing of our people. We need to thank our government and the seven armed ethnic groups for this meeting. We are also thankful to China's coordination⁵ effort which has facilitated this meeting, in which the most important thing is trust," said Tin Myo Win.

The 7 armed ethnic groups from the North are attending the conference as special guests because they are not signatories to the government's Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, or NCA.

"Three of the seven ethnic armed groups had been excluded (from the political dialogue framework) by the government and particularly by the military. The fact that the seven ethnic armed groups can be here to attend the conference is itself a breakthrough. It could have never been achieved without the effort from the Chinese government," said Zhao Guo'an, a spokesman of the United Wa State Army, or UWSA, the largest ethnic army in Myanmar, also the most powerful of the 7 non-signatories who have come up with their own proposals.

Zhao Guo'an, Spokesman of the United Wa State Army, or UWSA, the largest ethnic army in Myanmar, meets the media after meeting Tin Myo Win, Chairman of the Myanmar government's Peace Commission on May 25, 2017. [Photo: China Plus/Tu Yun]

"The seven groups, headed by UWSA, have formed a Federal Political Negotiation⁶ and Consultative Committee. But neither the government, nor the military would acknowledge it. We are only a political union speaking with one voice. We are also opposed to war," added Zhao.

The 7 armed ethnic groups want a modification⁷ of the NCA, where disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, or DDR, as well as security sector⁹ reform, or SSR, are prerequisites¹⁰ to political talks.

But Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing signaled that's not an option at the opening of the conference.

"As any democratic country does not allow demanding political rights with holding arms, it needs to perform DDR, SSR processes according to the reconciliation program for security measure resulted from political dialogues in line with the NCA's political roadmap," said Min Aung Hlaing.

Zhao Guo'an said they didn't trust the military.

"Once we disarm⁸, it means we could be trampled¹¹ by them at any time. They can do whatever they want. We have not faith in them. That's why the ethnic groups have their own armed forces. As we speak now and the peace conference is underway, I was just informed the military is heavily attacking the three armed organizations," said Zhao.

Without trust, it's very likely the peace process would encounter a deadlock¹².

But Yaw Bawn, an independent researcher in Myanmar, says there could be a silver lining¹³ if the government and the military have a "bigger heart."

"If you look at the armed conflict case in Colombia, for example, it is the government who initiated¹⁴ actively¹⁵ pursuing those armed groups. Even (though) in the first round of the referendums, people voted against the proposal agreement with the FARC rebels, the government actively pursued this road and now (the proposal has been) approved (by the parliament)," said Yaw Bawn.

He said what Myanmar needs now is political will.

It's understood that Myanmar State Counselor¹⁶ Aung San Suu Kyi will meet members of the seven armed ethnic groups on Friday.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

5 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

6 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

7 modification   

n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻

参考例句：

• The law,in its present form,is unjust;it needs modification.现行的法律是不公正的，它需要修改。
• The design requires considerable modification.这个设计需要作大的修改。

8 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 prerequisites   

先决条件，前提( prerequisite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Good muscles are one of the prerequisites of physical fitness. 肌肉发达是身体健康的一个必备条件。
• One of the outstanding prerequisites of any city is a local transportation system. 本地运输系统是任何城市的突出前提条件之一。

11 trampled   

踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊，怕他让暴民踩着。
• People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。

12 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

13 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

14 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

15 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

16 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。