The New Mon State Party says it accepts only about a third of a draft national ceasefire agreement prepared by the government, describing the document as too “rigid”.
“It is very difficult for us ethnic organisations to accept the draft,” NMSP central committee member Naing Han Thar Baing Khine told Mizzima on November 18.
He was referring to a draft agreement submitted by the government side at historic peace talks with nearly 20 armed ethnic groups earlier this month in the Kachin State capital, Myitkyina.
“Sixty percent of the draft requires addenda and amendments and 10 percent needs to be changed; the remaining 30 percent is acceptable,” Naing Han Thar Baing Khine said.
He said the provisions in the draft to which the NMSP objected included requiring armed ethnic groups to lay down their weapons and restrictions on recruitment and building new bases.
“The draft document is undeniably rigid,” Naing Han Thar Baing Khine said.
His comments followed a meeting of the NMSP’s central executive committee at Ye in Tanintharyi Region from November 13 to 15 to discuss the draft.
However, the NMSP’s vice chairman, Naing Han Thar, declined to discuss in detail the provisions of the draft that are rejected by the party.
The NMSP’s objections to the draft will be submitted by November 20 to a Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team as it prepares for a meeting due to be held next week in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
The talks will bring together the armed ethnic groups’ political organisations and government peace negotiators to discuss a national ceasefire.
The government hopes that a national ceasefire accord will be signed a meeting with the armed ethnic groups in the Karen State capital, Hpa-an, in December.
