The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), the alliance of 11 armed movements, is concluding its participation in the Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC) formed last year to coordinate non-Burman movements for political negotiations with Naypyitaw, according to the two-day WGEC monthly meeting which ended today.
“The main object for setting up the WGEC was to design a draft framework for political dialogue with the government,” Nai Hong Sa, General Secretary of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and concurrently General Secretary of the UNFC, was quoted as saying. “Now that the work is completed, we have to focus on the negotiations with the government instead.”
The meeting was also attended by representatives from 6 of its other member organizations: Arakan National Council (ANC), Chin National Front (CNF), Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), Karen National Union (KNU), PaO National Liberation Organization (PNLO) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP).
The non-UNFC organizations attending the meeting were Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS). Also present were representatives of civil society organizations.
“As the WGEC mandate came from the Ethnic Nationalities Conference (held in Chiangmai, 14-16 September 2012), the WGEC has the duty to report back to the new conference due to be held this year,” said Dr Lian Hmong Sakhong, who served as the facilitator of the meeting. “In the meanwhile, it will continue to prepare and provide technical assistance to all groups including the UNFC.”
The UNFC had reached the said crucial decision during its 3-day meeting 1-3 June. “We came to a hitch concerning the formation of the negotiation team,” explained Hkun Okker, Joint General Secretary # 2 of the alliance, and the newly appointed Patron of the PNLO. “The WGEC wanted an overhaul (to make way for non-UNFC movements) while we could allow only a UNFC plus arrangement.”
The UNFC negotiation team was formed in August 2012, a few weeks after President Thein Sein’s call for peace talks.
“There is no blame or shame attached,” he added.
How the UNFC decision will affect the negotiations with Naypyitaw remains to be seen.
Some WGEC members had also pointed out that its mandate was up to the 5th stage of the 6-point roadmap agreed at the September conference:
Drafting of the framework for political dialogue
Negotiations and agreement with the government on the framework
Holding of intra-state conferences
Holding of inter-state conference
Holding of Union Conference
The 6th point requires all stakeholders to agree upon and follow a definitive time frame.
