The historic summit of Burma's ethnic armed groups focusing on a government-planned national ceasefire pact began on Wednesday in Laiza, headquarters of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in Kachin state, northern Burma.
Leaders of sixteen ethnic armed groups from Chin, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Shan, Mon, Palaung, Pa-O, Wa, Arakan (Rakhine) and Lahu will be expected to reach consensus on Naypyidaw's nationwide ceasefire plan during the three day conference.
Of the eighteen armed groups invited to participate, all but the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and National Democratic Alliance Army (Mongla) attended the conference, KIO officials confirmed to Kachin News Group.
The KIO submitted a letter to attendees on the opening day, declaring “national equality and self-determination for ethnic minorities will not be completely achieved, as well as a federal union, under the controversial 2008 Constitution”.
The KIO, a key member of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an 11-member alliance of ethnic armed groups, is the only member yet to sign a fresh ceasefire agreement since a government offensive ended the previous 17-year ceasefire on June 9, 2011. The ensuing conflict in Kachin and northern Shan states has since displaced approximately 100,000 civilians, according to the latest UN figures.
While the government aims to achieve a national ceasefire by November 2013, leaders of ethnic armed groups have expressed concern that rejecting Naypyidaw's peace terms might further subject them to military attack by government forces.
Fighting between the KIO military wing, Kachin Independence Army and government troops continued in Mansi township where thousands of villagers are still trapped in the conflict zone.
