Roundup: Election, peace negotiation dominate Myanmar's domestic affairs in 2015

Myanmar's historical general election and peace negotiation process have significantly dominated the country' domestic affairs in the year of 2015.

Myanmar held a general election to elect parliamentary representatives of the next five-year term on Nov. 8.

The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won the absolute majority of the parliamentary seats, which is strong enough for it to form a new government independently under the constitution and has right to nominate the president and two vice presidents.

Suu Kyi herself also won as a representative re-elected to the Lower House of the next parliament.

In the general election, the NLD won 880 parliamentary seats or 77.3 percent out of a total of 1,139 at three levels of parliament, shared by 254 or 79 percent are in the House of Representatives (Lower House), 135 or 80 percent in the House of Nationalities (Upper House) and 474 or 75.7 percent in the Region or State Parliament as well as 17 ethnic representatives to the Region or State Parliament.

President U Thein Sein met Suu Kyi significantly at her request early this month for talks based on national reconciliation touching on plan for a smooth transfer of state power and exchanging views on setting an example of systematic power handover.

The government has established a support committee to help coordinate the transition.

Suu Kyi also met with Defense Chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing successively and won his support for a peaceful power transfer. They agreed to cooperate and coordinate for stability, law enforcement, national consolidation and national development in the country.

Earlier, Suu Kyi had also met with U Shwe Mann, speaker of the Union Parliament and House of Representatives (Lower House). They also agreed to form parliament of the next term through coordination and cooperation.

Moreover, Suu Kyi called on former military government leader Senior-General Than Shwe in Nay Pyi Taw on Dec. 5. The meeting, which discussed the future of Myanmar, was the first ever between the pair after the Nov. 8 election.

Expressing his recognition over Suu Kyi's success in the election, Than Shwe voiced support for rooting the democratic system.

Than Shwe, former Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, transferred power to U Thein Sein's government in March 2011 after the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won the general election in November, 2010.

The current parliament term is to expire on Jan. 31, 2016, and a new government is to be formed in February with the presidential run to follow in accordance with the constitution.

Under the constitution promulgated by the previous military government in May 2008, Aung San Suu Kyi was banned to become president due to her family status which involves foreign citizenship.

Despite possessing the rights and decision to nominate a president of the new government, the NLD is yet to disclose the person selected for the presidency.

Of Myanmar's parliament members, the non-elected army representatives account for 25 percent of the legislative body, while the rest are shared by elected representatives from various political parties and ethnic parties.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's peace process has come to a stage of entering political dialogue between the government and ethnic armed groups.

Throughout 2015, the two sides have held a total of nine rounds of negotiation for peace and the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) has been signed between the government and eight armed groups out of 15.

They have to make efforts to bring the rest of the non-ceasefire signatory groups to join the peace process.

The government and the eight signatory armed groups are heading for a formal political dialogue set for Jan. 15 next year and a union-level peace conference, led by President U Thein Sein, will be held before Jan. 12 next year which will feature the inclusive participation of stakeholders to solve the country's political problems, end armed conflicts as well as build national reconciliation through dialogue.

The election winner NLD party and eight ceasefire signatory ethnic armed groups have also vowed to build mutual trust and understanding and work hand-in-hand in the country's peace process.

Suu Kyi expressed acceptance of a proposal by the armed groups to form a joint committee with the NLD to continue working for the peace process after the NLD forms a new government.

The eight signatories of the armed groups include Kayin National Union (KNU) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) / Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), while the seven other non-ceasefire signatory groups include Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) and the United Wa State Army (UWSA).

Apart from the 15 ethnic armed groups, some groups including Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army have not been invited in the peace deal.

Observers here said nationwide reconciliation in Myanmar still has long way to go. Endit