Peace talks between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and government negotiators concluded yesterday with a positive joint statement that seemed to satisfy both sides, for the time being. The joint statement that was inked at the end of the three day meeting statement allowed the KIO and the government to move forward on the 7- point agreement reached in May. The agreement was aimed at deescalating tensions, among other things. But like the previous agreement, the recent statement fell short of implementing a ceasefire.
Despite the seemingly cardinal gestures by the government, new clashes in northern Kachin state's Putao district has threatened to undermine progress made in the May agreement. Furthermore the KIO remains highly suspicious after large numbers of troop reinforcements have been dispatched to Mansi township in southern Kachin state.
It also didn’t help that the Burma Army seemed to be flexing their muscles by flying two military jets at a very low altitude over the Kachin state capital on Tuesday. The roaring sounds of the Chinese built jets could be heard inside Majoi Gawknu hall where the peace talks were held, according to several sources.
According to observers, the government's chief peace negotiator Aung Min and his team pushed hard trying in a feeble attempt to convince the KIO to sign a new ceasefire. From the onset of the conflict that started in June of 2011 they have resisted unless the government’s promised to address concerns that would allow for some degree of autonomy.
During the talks the government formally invited the KIO to take part in their national ceasefire conference expected to be held in Naypyidaw by year’s end. The KIO didn’t formally indicate if they will take part, instead they advocated hosting their own meeting with all the ethnic armed groups in their Laiza headquarters.
The recent peace talks were attended by several Chinese diplomats and the UN Special Envoy to Burma Vijay Nambiar who came as observers. Kachin political party and cultural organization leaders also were present, as well as many of Burma's armed rebel groups.
Lamai Gum Ja, member of Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG) a group of Kachin businessman involved in peace discussions, told the Kachin News Group (KNG) during the first day they focused on a number of issues, including the previous agreement that called for both groups to jointly monitor troops on the front line.
Discussions on the second day focused on the resettlement of the over 100,000 internally displaced people (IDP) who remain in a hellish limbo in mostly KIO controlled camps near the border with China.
Photo caption: KIO leader Sumlut Gam (left) with Burma government's chief peace negotiator Aung Min (right) on Oct. 10.
