Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Speech delivered by Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Chairman of National Unity and Peacemaking Central Committee Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to mark Sixth Anniversary of signing Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA
10th Waxing of Thadingyut 1383 ME
15 October 2021
Esteemed national brethren,
Today is the sixth anniversary of signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA between the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and ethnic armed organizations. As the ceremonies to mark the annual ceremonies of signing the NCA took place in Nay Pyi Taw, and the 5th anniversary day was held with the participation of COVID-19 applications in Nay Pyi Taw in the past, I sent a message to the 5th anniversary of the ceremony and delivering the speech online due to outbreak of COVID-19 this year. At today’s 6th anniversary of the NCA, I’d like to extend greetings to all national brethren to have physical and mental wellbeing to further serve the perpetual peace for the interests of the State and the Union all the national people aspire.
The peace process of our country is historic and on wider scale. Successive governments and the Tatmadaw have held meetings many times for ending the internal armed conflicts and for internal peace after regaining independence. Due to the diversity of attitude over regaining the independence, Thakin Nu declared 15-point leftist unity principle for restoring the peace with communists more than one month after BCP had gone underground. The majority of those who participated in the efforts to regaining independence of Myanmar in the independence struggle period and during the period of just regaining the independence are leftists. So, the internal peace talk was held to set aside the inequality among the groups and to combine the agreeable ones for restoring the peace. Communists, socialists and People’s Yebaw revoked their organizations with the aim of combining them as a single party. AFPFL government ceased the fighting against Communists and ordered Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Ne Win to chair the 21-member Leftist Organizing Council in July. But the mission failed. There were many facts to fail the mission. I’d like to disclose one of them. When the 15-point leftist unity principle was released, England and the US wrote that Myanmar became red and it needs to monitor Myanmar. Working partners split among them. As the country was weak in the post-independence era, the government sent U Tin Htut to London for making a clarification of the actual situation. So, the one-point principle “to form the study for Marxism” was removed from the 14-point principles. In this regard, “some western countries just wish to emerge the government they can control, rather than the government capable of serving the interests of the Myanmar people and capable of handling Myanmar’s peace process”. The government and the Tatmadaw started talks with KNU for internal peace in 1948-1949. One more meeting was held with KNU in 1960. In June 1963 when the Revolutionary Council had taken the responsibility of the State, the statement was released on “an offer of the Revolutionary Council was released to all armed groups underground for internal peace.” In the same year, the talks were held with BCP seven times. The meetings were held with KIA and KIO three times. The meeting took place with Ma-Da-Nya-Ta comprising these parties KNU, MNSP and KNPP five times. Among them, the peace could be restored with only Karen Revolutionary Council-KRC led by Saw Hunter Tha Hmwe. The government held peace talks with KIA 10 times and BCP two times in 1980-1981 in the era of MSPP.
The Revolutionary Council restored the internal peace with armed groups as well as formed the “Internal Unity Advisory Board” on 4 December 1968, aimed at carrying out the tasks on political, economic, social and ethnic affairs to benefit the nation and the national. It aimed to carry out nation-building tasks in unison. The board was formed with 33 members, significantly U Nu (former Prime Minister), U Kyaw Nyein, Widuya Thakin Chit Maung, U Ba Swe, Mahn Win Maung, Duwa Zaw Lun, Bohmu Aung and Bo Min Khaung. The 33-member board comprised persons from political groups such as Stable (AFPFL), Clean (AFPFL) and Pa-MNya-Ta and various ethnic persons. The board was separated into four groups for giving suggestions. They gave various suggestions. In this regard, I’d like to point out that the concept of national reconciliation and its functions are from then on. So, all need to read the historical books because such a concept did not achieve success.
After 1988, the Tatmadaw government in its tenure restored peace with 17 big ethnic armed organizations and 23 small groups after holding the talks. The Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA was implemented in the multiparty democracy era after 2010. So, the peace was restored with eight NCA signatories in 2015 and two more NCA signatories in 2018, totalling 10. The majority of NCA signatories carried out the signing of the ceasefire agreements for peace in the term of the Tatmadaw government. At this juncture, everybody needs to remember a message for EAOs in 2015 just before signing the NCA “don’t hurriedly sign the NCA”.
The Tatmadaw always urges all ethnic armed organizations to join the path of NCA. So, the attitudes and concepts that the Tatmadaw needs to one-sidedly cease the fire if the peace can be restored. The Tatmadaw has declared 20 statements for a ceasefire and perpetual peace from 21 December 2018 to date and suspended the attacks. As a gesture of hailing the Diamond Jubilee Union Day, the Tatmadaw further suspended its military operations for five months from 1 October 2021 to 28 February 2022 for effectively carrying out the prevention, control and treatment activities of COVID-19 and raising the peace processes, except the time of attacking the security and administrative machinery of the government in addition to State defence and administrative measures of the entire nation. The Tatmadaw has guaranteed the construction of the Union based on democracy and federalism. Democracy must be implemented through equal rights of each region and each ethnic group.
I have said: “Emphasis is being placed primarily on two points in building the nation, and the first point is to firmly implement the democracy in accord with the aspirations of the people as the political vision, and the second point is to prioritize the prosperity of the nation and food sufficiency.” It is the prioritized political policy of the government. These two points are interrelated. Peace is essential for our country in undertaking the tasks for prosperity.
The day 12 February 2022 is the Diamond Jubilee Union Day of our country. Likewise, the day 4th January 2023 is the Diamond Jubilee Independence Day of our country. Two important historical events and two big days for a country are near to reach the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. If it calculates the term of these jubilees based on the lifespan of Myanmar people, it would be a life span of a person. Everybody needs to notice a saying that “If one does not know the past, one may commit mistakes again. Likewise if one is too eager to embrace the past, one may lose the road to the future”. The government will carry out the process of cementing the Union Spirit and enhancement of the peace process before the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee Union Day and Independence Day.
The government will implement three steps to adopt the further strengthening and sharpening the Union Spirit, forming the implementation bodies formed with ethnic people and carrying out the practical tasks. In this regard, suggestions will be taken from ethnic national people and relevant bodies in addition to informing and educating them.
In practically raising the peace process-
(1) Relevant ethnic nationals and stakeholders participate in levering up the peace process.
(2) The national unity and peace coordination committees at different levels, the Tatmadaw peace talk committee and ethnic armed organizations directly hold the dialogues and meet with the peace process enhancement bodies.
(3)The processes are being undertaken for further strengthening the peace with NCA signatories and efforts are being made to mitigate the firing attacks and to reach the bilateral agreements for non-NCA signatories to sign the NCA.
Some ethnic armed organizations need to practically review the concepts without fictional thoughts that it does not need to talk with the current government as the latter is not the elected one and that the current government cannot fully implement the peace process. Evidence indicates the successes in the peace process in the term of the Tatmadaw government after 1988, declining of attacks and development undertakings in ethnic areas. Among these organizations, it proved that the majority of ethnic armed organizations could sign the NCA. I severally urged all participants in the peace conference and NCA anniversary days to forge honesty if they actually aspire the peace and they must uphold the concept that no one is important than peace. Although governments took the office one after another, the country is the Union of Myanmar. It is necessary to systematically identify the government and the State. We all need to be loyal to the Union of Myanmar and forge an honest and genuine will to restore peace for the State rather than the government. Hence, NCA signatories are invited again to further cement the NCA and non-NCA signatories to join the step of the ceasefire and peace process rather than the existing step and sign the NCA. All are urged to carry out the tasks with the vow of the Diamond Jubilee Union Day.
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar was revitalized in the multiparty democracy in 2011. In its term, the first government offered the ethnic armed organizations on 18 August 2011 to initiate the peace process essential for building the firm multiparty democracy in accord with the aspiration of the people. After holding the peace talks with 18 ethnic armed organizations for more than four years, the government and eight ethnic armed organizations signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA on 15 October 2015 and New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) on 13 February 2018. So far, ten ethnic armed organizations have signed the NCA. I recognized and took pride in the endeavours, spirit and undertakings of these organizations and peace negotiators for restoring the peace at present.
The NCA was drawn by an individual or an organization but it was drawn by the government, the Hluttaw, the Tatmadaw and all ethnic armed organizations through detailed discussions based on aspirations and initial proposals of ethnic armed organizations. So, the agreement is owned by all. It gained the support of the entire people in addition to recognition and respect of the international community. Hence, we should always pay attention to the NCA which is an unforgettable one.
After signing the NCA, the peace talks are continuously held in line with the provisions of the agreement with relentless perseverance amid the various difficulties. So, the Union Peace Conference has been held five times to sign the 37 points of agreement of the Union Accord Part I, 14 points of agreement of the Union Peace Part II and 21 points of agreement of the Union Accord Part III, totalling 72 points. These discussions and agreements led to building the Union based on democracy and federalism which is an aspiration of the government, the Tatmadaw and all ethnic armed organizations. The Union Accord Part III mentioned that they agreed to negotiate the topic on the Union based on democracy and federalism phase by phase. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 starting from late 2019, the peace talks could not be held, and at present, as the infection rate of the pandemic declines, I’d like to urge all to continue the process of peace talks with agreements to reach the goal with the firm pledge without losing the way to build the Union based on democracy and federalism aspired by all.
In building the Union based on democracy and federalism we all accept, all ethnic national people from regions and states will have all the rights of federal in the equal term. It is necessary to follow the wish of the majority and pay attention to the wish of the minority. Exercising discrimination and social punishment as enemies who are not conformed to their wish and setting aside them from the society is the attitude of classification system from the feudal era and it is not in conformity with democracy. If the country wishes to forge a democracy, it must have peace and stability based on political and security trends. Everybody needs to notice that all the incidents happening in the country are based on measures of democracy immaturity.
Although everybody defines federalism based on their attitudes, actually, its essence is unification and compatibility. Three kinds of power are shared with different regions and states, races and ethnicities. No matter how different the concepts for democracy and federalism are, it is necessary to choose the system which may be conformed to our country. We all need to completely negotiate the different attitudes over democracy and federalism through the dialogues with the concept that all national brethren shall reside in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar together in a peaceful and tranquil manner.
Esteemed national brethren,
Today is a period when the Tatmadaw has taken the State responsibilities in accord with the Constitution (2008) and the State Administration Council leads the country as the Tatmadaw and political parties strived for negotiations through various ways and means over the vote-rigging of NLD in the 2020 election but the mission failed. Since the time of taking the State responsibilities, the State Administration Council has laid down and is implementing the five-point road map and nine objectives, emphasizing the agreements involved in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA for restoring the perpetual peace. The Tatmadaw Peace Talk Committee was reconstituted on 1 February 2021 and the National Unity and Peacemaking Central Committee, the Work Committee and the Negotiation Committee on 1 February. Currently, the negotiation committee held meetings with NCA signatories and non-NCA signatories 21 times for implementing the peace process with momentum.
Although the government is levering up the peace process, terror acts of destructionist local and foreign organizations which do not wish to serve the interests of the country, media and extremist NLD members, terrorist groups called NUG, CRPH and PDF wishing to grasp the power of the State through terror ways harm the peace and stability and rule of law in some areas of the country and hamper the peace process to some extent.
It is visible that some NCA signatories perform some acts designed to derail from the peace route due to instigations and incitement of some internal and external organizations and they concerning with the organizations declared as terrorists by the government commit inappropriate acts which may undermine the confidence over the peace process. However, the government is taking measures with a generous mind not to harm the peace process. As I have said, the NCA is a starting point to the peace firstly achieved over 70 years after we all have held the meetings many times and solved the resolution difficultly. I’d like to note that special attention must be paid not to lose the path of peace called the NCA due to terror acts, sabortages, internal and external instigations and incitements of media.
Our government is implementing the political procedures to be firm multiparty democracy system and to build the Union based on democracy and federalism. Our government firmly guarantees such a process. I’d like to urge all ethnic armed organizations to correctly understand the work process being implemented by the State and current true situations and analyze the misinformation of some media with avoiding the acts harming the peace process we all are walking. Continuous walking along the path of the NCA with firm belief will contribute to the emergence of a new democratic government elected by the people by holding a free and fair multiparty democracy general elections in the set period in line with the current work process of the government.
Esteemed national brethren,
At present, the whole globe is suffering from the COVID-19 starting from late 2019. The State Administration Council adopted the policies “No one is important than the life of the people” and “Not only the citizens residing in the Union but all human beings regardless of race and religion shall have the equal term of rights to enjoy the healthcare services” and is striving for prevention, control and treatment activities of COVID-19 for the entire people across the nation with might and main. The vaccination programme is being implemented not only for members of NCA signatories, non-NCA signatories and people from the areas of ethnic armed organizations but also the people from the internally displaced person camps. Vaccination started for some armed organizations on priority numbers, and all need to cooperate with the coordination committee to vaccinate in time based on the health knowledge.
Our government has clearly declared to continue the work process for restoring the perpetual peace in line with the NCA and always open the door to the dialogue. As the Tatmadaw is taking the responsibilities of the government, it can carry out all parts of peace dialogues except the approval of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. Although it seem that political dialogues cannot be held due to lack of elected government, Hluttaws and MPs, representatives from the political parties would become elected MPs and the cabinet members upon completion of the election. Hence, our efforts to continuously emphasize the political dialogues and peacemaking process together with stakeholders may achieve further progress.
As our country needs to hand over a good, peaceful legacy mostly aspired by the entire people to new generations in the peace process of the country, we have to implement the peace process without delay. Only when our country which enriches in natural resources can restore peace, will it be stable, peaceful and developed with momentum. As the government and the Tatmadaw are emphasizing the restoration of perpetual peace, now is the best time not only for NCA signatories but also for NCA non-signatories should join the peace process for serving the interests of the State and the people.
In conclusion, I’d like to conclude my speech quoting the stanzas of great poet Saya Zawgyi as follows:-
“Wake up Myanmar, Oh! Myanmar. Don’t be weak, don’t be down the diligence, let’s strive for all with might and main. Which is this land whose own? Which is this village who live? Which is paddy whose own? Let’s assign duty! let’s serve it dutifully! Let’s apply knowledge to unite all!
Let’s unite for peace!
Thank you.
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