The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) met recently to discuss their position to support an agreement reached by most of the major ethnic political groups during a four-day summit in Laiza in late October.
“RCSS have yet to sign the Laiza communal agreement, however our executive committee is supportive of its content. The RCSS will continue to cooperate with other ethnic organizations and the Myanmar government to progress further into the peace process,” said RCSS Spokesperson Col. Sai Law Sai.
The recent summit attended by 16 ethnic armed groups in the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) headquarters in Kachin state resulted in an 11-point agreement outlining their demands for the government initiated nationwide ceasefire scheme.
Although RCSS representatives in attendance supported the agreement, they said
they couldn’t sign it without consulting with their leaders.
The agreement requested for political dialogue, more cooperation between government and ethnic groups and establishing political framework for peace.
The Myanmar government also presented their demands for a nationwide ceasefire at the Laiza conference consisting of 10 points. However at a separate meeting that was later held in Kachin state capital Myitkyina, government representatives unveiled a new proposal with policies that weren’t presented during the Laiza summit.
Ethnic leaders blame the government’s inconsistency for the failings of the Myitkyina meeting. Despite this another meeting is planned for December in Karen state capital Hpa-an.
According to Nai Hong Sar, chief coordinator of the Laiza communal agreement coordinating committee, ethnic representatives will meet again prior to the meeting with the government during a Karen National Union (KNU) hosted conference planned for the second week of December.
