“Ethnic Armed Revolutionary” talks end early in Myitkyina

Talks between Burma's government and 16 armed rebel groups including the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) ended in the Kachin state capital Myitkyina on Tuesday without a breakthrough. The talks ended earlier than expected, according to reports from Myitkyina.

A major point of contention arose on Monday when the government side led by Lt. Gen. Myint Soe took issue with sections of the rebel groups’ proposals where they called themselves "ethnic armed revolutionary forces". The government side also didn't like several of the rebel groups other suggestions about the role of armed ethnic groups in the country's future. The government side responded with their own proposal that called on the armed groups to cease armed struggle.

Following the meeting both sides issues a statement which indicated that all parties had agreed to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement followed by a political dialogue. It remains unclear when exactly this nationwide ceasefire will come about. According to those who attended such a ceasefire will not happen in November as had been earlier predicted by the government backed Myanmar Peace Center. The next round of talk is expected to take place in Karen state sometime in December.

Despite the fact that talks ended in disagreement over something as basic as how the rebel groups refer to themselves, UN Burma envoy Vijay Nambiar praised the talks which he attended as an observer. “The meeting in Myitkyina was the first meeting between the combined Ethnic Armed Organizations and the Government in decades and as such represents a significant move forward in the national reconciliation process,” said Nambiar.

“The fact that such a meeting could take place within the country testifies to the distance that the Government and Ethnic Armed Groups have traversed since the beginning of the reform process in Myanmar,” Nambiar's statement said.

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