Govt, Tatmadaw discussed AA relations in advance of talks: peace negotiator

By Aung Htein 18 Dec 2020

Aung Htein | DMG
18 December 2020, Sittwe  

Government and military representatives had pre-negotiated talks before the latter held recent discussions with the Arakan Army (AA), according to U Hla Maung Shwe, a senior adviser to the government’s Peace Commission.  

He added that there were negotiations among the government, military and lawmakers in the first week of December about holding a meeting with the Northern Alliance, which includes the Arakan Army and other non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). 

“The government, military, and Parliament have instructed us to meet with the Northern Alliance. The Arakan Army, one of the members of the Northern Alliance, is already in the talks,” he said. 

The peace negotiator did not provide further details about meeting with the ethnic armed groups.  

U Pe Than, a member of the Arakan National Party (ANP) policy steering committee and the Lower House MP for Myebon Township, said although a tentative truce has been negotiated between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army, talks could not be completed without government involvement. 

“A ceasefire will only work if there is a tripartite dialogue. This is because the government must be involved in issues such as resettlement of IDPs [internally displaced people], the effects of the war in Arakan State, demining, restoration of internet access, and the abolition of terrorism,” he said.  

Negotiations will continue if mutual trust between the military and the Arakan Army can be established, he added.  

The government’s National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC), its Peace Commission and a peace committee led by Tatmadaw Lt-Gen Yar Pyae held a peace process coordination meeting on December 3-4, according to a statement from the NRPC. 

On December 9, representatives of the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army met in Panghsang, a border town in Shan State controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), following an initial online discussion last month.  

A spokesman for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) described the recent Tatmadaw-AA meeting in Panghsang as a “good prospect” for future peace talks.