Burma Peace-Making Committee and Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) agreed Thursday to push in advance with national ceasefire agreement and continue efforts for comprehensive political dialogue as part of an eight-point accord they signed after peace-talks, The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said today. Both sides also agreed to form a ten-member joint monitoring committee created after decades of fighting and they also have the same opinion holding discussion on development-projects in war-torn Kayah state.
Burma's Union Peace-Making Committee and the KNPP have taken part in a settlement promising to move forward with a national ceasefire accord. The Peace-Making Committee and KNPP held negotiations on 19 and 20 June in Loikaw. The talks was convened with Minister Aung Min on the government side and deputy chairman Khun Oo Reh on the KNPP side plus military chief General Bee Htoo. It was the third round of talks between the two sides and aimed at strengthening the ceasefire deal.
According to the state-run newspaper, the two parties released an eight-point agreement today as follows.
(1) To push ahead with nationwide ceasefire accord and continue efforts for all-inclusive political dialogue.(3) The two parties agreed to shape joint monitoring committee as follows:
(a) Two committee members nominated by Kayah State government, two by KNPP and six righteous community elders, adding together ten-member team.
(b) Personnel of the two sides bring together adopting the terms of reference (TOR) to be capable of working together with civil society organizations (CSOs), individuals and local NGOs.
(c) The two parties must not harm, threat or take unlawful measures against monitoring individuals and organizations.
(4) The local people and social organizations will be allowed to observe the new major projects which have been planned to implement in Kayah State including New Village Project; the completion process must be transparent with responsibility and accountability, furthermore the government and persons related to the project must guarantee safety precaution of the local inhabitants.(5)
The two parties call for coordinated actions to clear landmines covered
areas with the aim of relocating internally displaced persons (IDPs).
(6) The two parties agree to coordinate a pilot project in Daw-ta-khe in Sha-daw Township for resettlement of IDPs.
(8) The government and KNPP also agree to cooperate for regional development.
KNPP joint-secretary Shwe Myo Thant said the latest round of talks had yielded some positive results, including plans for a 10-member peace monitoring committee, according to Radio Free Asia Myanmar Service.
"We had good, positive progress in discussions about military affairs, and we also agreed to discuss what we need to do in further talks," he told RFA's Myanmar Service after the meeting.
"We agreed to form a local joint peace monitoring committee with two representatives and three community leaders from each side to observe and control ceasefire situation and progress toward peace," he said.
On March 7, 2012, the Union Peace Making Committee headed by Minister Aung Min and the Eastern Military Command commanding officer Maj. Gen. Soe Htut launched peace talks in Loi-kaw together with KNPP representatives including Commander-in-Chief Bee Htoo, General Secretary Khu Oo Reh, and nine other leaders to discuss a ceasefire, as said by the Independent Mon News Agency.
That same day, the Union government and KNPP successfully reached a ceasefire agreement. The parties agreed to cease all fighting, and KNPP was given permission to open offices in cities in Kayah State.
