The Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC) and Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) signed the final draft agreement of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on the eighth day of their seventh meeting at Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) in Yangon.
For the UPWC the draft NCA was signed by U Aung Min and U Thein Zaw the vice chairmen of the UPWC, as well as Lt. Gen Myint Soe, Lt. Gen Thet Naing Win and U Khet Htain Nan. For the NCCT the document was signed by Nai Hongsa, Phado Kwel Htoo Win, Brig. Gen Gun Maw, Dr. Salai Hlan Hmone Ser Khaung and Col. Khun Okkar.
U Khun Sai, a director of the Union Institute said: “There are seven chapters and 33 sections to the NCA. I guess it will be about two months before the [full] NCA can be signed because there will be the [Burmese] New Year holidays and both sides will also have to meet with their leaders.”
The first meeting to discuss the NCA was held in Myitkyina City, Kachin State in late 2013. The final draft of the NCA was only signed on 31 March after 22 informal meetings and seven formal meetings.
The NCCT represents 16 ethnic armed organisation (EAO) members and it was formed at the Laiza headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in 2013.
The UPWC members were appointed by the President Thein Sein led Union Peace-making Central Committee (UPCC). Vice president Dr. Sai Mauk Kham is the chairman of the UPWC, while minister U Aung Min and Member of Parliament U Thein Zaw are the UPWC vice chairmen.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
