2nd LD writethru: Myanmar's Panglong peace conference kicks off with call for national reconciliation

The 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference of Myanmar, which aims to unite with all ethnic nationalities and build a democratic federal union through dialogue, kicked off in Nay Pyi Taw Wednesday.

The four-day historical Panglong Conference gathered representatives of the government, the parliament, the military, invited political parties, ethnic armed and non-armed organizations and civil society totaling about 1,600.

Among the attendees of government leadership at the opening ceremony were President U Htin Kyaw and two vice presidents.

The 17 ethnic armed organizations present at the event include eight signatories and seven non-signatories to the Nationwide ceasefire Accord (NCA), represented by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) as well as Mongla and Wa groups.

The opening of the conference was also attended by UN agencies and resident foreign diplomats in the country.

Speaking at the opening session, Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi underlined that the peace conference marked the embarkation of a path to peace in the country, and that the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) is the first step not only towards peace but toward the establishment of the long hope for democratic federal union.

The new government is making efforts to bring in those non-signatories to the NCA to join the signing, she said.

She pointed out that national reconciliation must include reconciliation between the ethnic armed organizations, warning that ideological differences between NCA signatories and non-NCA signatories could delay the path to peace.

Taking the lessons of failure in pursuit of domestic peace in the past successive eras, she called for efforts to make it a success in the present era with the active involvement and support of all peoples.

Paying tribute to the previous U Thein Sein's government for establishing the Myanmar Peace Center and working for ceasefire, she pledged to continue the previous government's work towards peace.

Voicing support for domestic peace efforts, Speaker of the House of Representatives (Lower House) U Win Myint said the parliament constantly worked for the people to gain social security and emotional security as loss of lives of nationalities in protracted conflicts in the country caused loss of human resources.

Speaker of the House of Nationalities (Upper House) U Mann Win Khaing Than said peace, which the nationalities are aspiring, lies at a distance of the stretch of hand, urging peace seekers to grasp the peace.

Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing called for an end to the ill impact of non-peace -- loss of lives and properties being directly suffered by the ethnic armed groups. The armed forces is taking a firm step to achieve peace, working hand-in-hand with different organizations in the implementation of domestic peace, national reconciliation and development .

He stressed discussions in the conference under the principles of the NCA.

Chairman of the Kayin National Union (KNU) U Saw Mutu Sae Phoe, representing the armed groups, said he was moved on seeing that the conference is the start of political dialogue which national brethrens have been longing for.

He said the over six decades' armed struggle with the political objective of establishing a democratic federal union is being praised . He stressed that peace depends on reconciliation, saying that " If there is no reconciliation, there will be no peace ".

He also emphasized the bottom up approach to include those stakeholders deserved to be included in the peace process, referring to those parties which did not win in the election.

Vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) N' Ban La, who is also chairman of the UNFC, stressed the importance of nurturing "Panglong " spirit for the emergence of a federal union, while coordinating to find out a solution for the future of the country based on equality.

He insisted that the conference is a first and good start for designing the country's future.

The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), the joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) and the Preparatory Committee for the Panglong Peace Conference will submit their reports on the framework for political dialogue to the conference.

Group-wise meetings will take place over the following days of the conference, according to the agenda. Enditem