Myanmar forms joint monitoring committee to implement ceasefire pact

Myanmar has formed a union-level Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JCMC)in order to implement the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) signed by the government and eight ethnic armed groups on Oct. 15, an official report said Friday.

The JCMC, led by Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, was established with 10 representatives each from the government and eight ethnic armed groups as well as six civilian representatives, according to the government's Union Peace Making Work Committee (UPWC).

As part of the peace process, Myanmar is also trying to form a trilateral Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) with 16 representatives each from the government, ethnic armed groups and political parties to start drafting a framework for holding dialogue.

Drafting of the dialogue framework is expected to be able to start before Dec. 14 according to the timeline of the ceasefire term already stipulated and the formal dialogue is also expected to start before Jan. 14, 2016 after the political dialogue framework is signed to lay foundation of the peace process for the new government.

The unfinished peace process includes bringing in seven non-ceasefire-signatory groups to complete the signing.

Myanmar government and eight ethnic armed groups out of 15 signed the NCA on Oct. 15 , agreeing on some post-ceasefire steps for adherence by both sides.

The two sides were set to draw up a political framework within 60 days after the formal NCA signing and start a political dialogue within 90 days. Enditem