ARAKAN INDOBHASA

NCCT met the press after meeting held yesterday (Photo-EMG)

Ethnic armed groups are arranging to hold a peace conference at Mongla and waiting for government approval on Friday, according to Khun Oakkar from Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT).

The NCCT made a request on May 21 to allow negotiations between ethnic armed groups, such as the Laiza conference held at the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).

“We arranged for the meeting at Mongla once. I arrived at the border of China but the arrangement was delayed. We will try hard this time to hold the meeting and submit what we achieved at the nation-wide ceasefire draft meeting to all leaders of the ethnic armed groups. We want to hold the meeting at Mongla but we still don’t know whether the government accept it or not,” said Khun Oakkar.

The NCCT leaders said the meeting is required to discuss with their leaders the accomplishment of the meeting between the government and the NCCT and to establish nation-wide ceasefire agreement as quickly as possible.

“The meeting is finished in Chapter 7. After the Chapter 7, the general terms such as where the meeting will be held next time or whether the joint statement will release or not or how to assign the points for the top leaders meeting are discussed. It is a part of the meeting and we will know the result tomorrow,” said Khun Oakkar in related with the request made to the government on May 22.

“Our leader of the Union Peace Making Work Committee said he is ready to help all movements which will help the peace process. We have held Laiza and Law Khee Lar conferences. He informed that the government will help what they can to achieve peace,” said Hla Maung Shwe from Myanmar Peace Centre.

The NCCT is a coalition of sixteen ethnic armed groups who have come together to negotiate a nation-wide ceasefire deal with the government.

Organisers insist that it does not have the right to make any decision regarding individual member groups, therefore does not have the authority to make a decision on any agreement.