The Peace Commission and National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS)—also known as the Mongla Army—met to discuss important matters yesterday afternoon at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre in Rangoon.
During the meeting, U Sai Leun, chairperson for NDAA-ESS, and his delegation brought up five main points with the Peace Commission delegation that was led by Chairperson Dr Tin Myo Win—making clear its policy of non-separation from the Union.
The commission invited NDAA-ESS to attend a meeting this month for reviewing the framework for political dialogue in advance of the Union Peace Conference (also 21st Century Panglong Conference) scheduled for the end of August.
Peace Commission Secretary U Khin Zaw Oo told reporters that the NDAA-ESS pressed for an all-inclusive approach in all future political dialogues. Discussion about joining the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) was cut short because the group told him it wanted to refrain from making a decision until more consultation about joining happened among its members.
The NCA, introduced by the former Thein Sein government, has been widely criticized after several groups that are still actively fighting with the Burma Army were excluded from taking part unless they surrendered. Only eight of the country’s twenty-one armed groups signed it.
Last Friday, the NDAA joined the United Wa State Party (UWSP) for a goodwill meeting with State Councillor Daw Aung Suu Kyi in capital Nawpyidaw.
The NDAA-ESS and UWSP have controlled Special Region 4 and 2, respectively, located along the China border, since entering a ceasefire with the former military government in 1989. Members of both groups were derived from the former Communist Party of Burma that collapsed the same year.
Under the former government, the NDAA-ESS and UWSP signed a new ceasefire in 2011.
In recent years, the NDAA-ESS have come under fire by animal wildlife groups for hosting one of the biggest outdoor illegal wildlife markets in the world in their capital Mong La.
During World Environment Day on June 5, President Htin Kyaw said that he wouldn’t tolerate illegal wildlife hunting in Myanmar, according to Frontier Myanmar magazine. Authorities have vowed to take action to close Mong La’s outdoor market.
Reporting by Narinjara News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
