Myanmar Government peace plan

The government’s policy towards the ethnic peace process is flexible and willing to accommodate to the changes in the country. Their approach is multifaceted, operating on the premise that the peace process is part of a much larger problem including not only military and political affairs, but also social and economic issues, to achieve broader peace dividends. Currently there is no official governmental budget allocated, apart from an endowment for peace to fund the peace team and its activities, but is said to be included soon. The government is working to finalize all the ceasefires by the end of 2013, to hold political dialogue the following year and endorse agreements with all of the ethnic armed groups by 2015.

18 August 2011: President Thein Sein appealed to dozens of ethnic groups to start talks​ (announcement No. 1/2011)​

President Thein Sein has pledged to make the ethnic issue a national priority, offering dialogue with all armed groups and dropping key preconditions for talks. Specifically, dropping the demand for the groups to become border guard forces, and then an unprecedented national conference to seek political solutions to ethnic divisions. Plans for a peace process were drawn up by the Ethnic Affairs and Internal Peace Committee set up by both Houses of the People’s Parliament and the National Parliament

Three-phase peace plan

1.      State level: Ceasefire set up liaison offices and travels without holding arms to each other's territory

2.       Union level: Confidence building, holding political dialogue, implements regional development tasks in terms of education, health and communication

3.      Sign agreement for eternal peace in the presence of the parliament represented by nationalities, political parties and different walks of life.

Union-level peace team (reformed 3 May 2012 - Decree 12/2012)

The latest Union-level peace team is made up of a central committee for making policies and a working committee for implementing policies associated with ceasefire negotiations. The central committee (UPCC) is chaired by President Thein Sein, while the working committee (UPWC) is chaired by the Vice President Sai Mauk Kham. Prior to the Union-level peace team, there were 2 government peace teams created by the Union-level Peace Discussion Group in December 2012. The teams were led respectively by U Aung Thaung U Aung Min, who divided their tasks geographically.

 

 

Peace Working Committee - Ceasefire guidelines

In order to reach peace agreements (with ethnic armed groups), Union-level Peacemaking Work Committee will carry out the following duties and report to UPWC central executive committee:
1. State Level Peace negotiation - 5 Terms​​

1. To cease fire from both sides
2. To deploy troops only in agreed territories
3. Prohibit carrying arms outside the designated territories
4. Open liaison offices in areas agreed by both sides (no arms allowed)
5. In order for the negotiation process to proceed to Union Level negotiation, each group will have to form an official delegation team and negotiate the place and time for Union Level negotiation.

2. Union Level Peace Negotiation - 8 Points

1. To remain forever in the Union
2. To accept the Three National Causes: non-disintegration of the Union,non-disintegration of national sovereignty and perpetuation of national sovereignty
3. To cooperate in economic and development tasks
4. To cooperate in the elimination of narcotic drugs
5. To set up political parties and enter elections
6. To accept the 2008 Constitution and to make necessary amendments via Parliament by majority consent
7. To fully enter the legal fold for permanent peace and live, move, work in accord with the Constitution
8. To coordinate existence of only a single armed forces in accord with the Constitution

3. Sign agreement for eternal peace in the presence of the parliament represented by nationalities, political parties and different walks of life.( This level was not official announced , but often mentioned in the meeting by U Aung Min , with different explanation )

Union-level peace team (reformed 3 May 2012 - Decree 12/2012)         

1. Central committee
Chaired by President Thein Sein
12-members including:
- 1 Vice President U Nyan Tun (replaced U Tin Aung Myint Oo, Aug.16, 2012)​
- Vice President Dr. Sai Mauk Kham
- Speaker of the Upper house U Shwe Mann
- Speaker of the lower house U Khin Aung Myint
- Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Vice Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing
- Minister of Home Affairs Lieutenant-General Ko Ko
- Defense Minister Lieutenant-General Hla Min
- Border Affairs Minister Lieutenant-General Thein Htay
- Attorney-General Dr. Tun Shi
- Director of President’s office U Min Zaw
2. Working committee (52 members) aka UPWC
Chairman: Vice-President Sai Mauk Kham

4 Vice-Chairmen:

• Railway Minister Aung Min
• Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Commander of the Army General Soe Win
• Parliament Member U Thein Zaw (head of the Lower house National Races Affairs and Internal Peacemaking Committee)
• D-G of the Govt. Office U Myo Tint Kyi

9 ministers
U Ohn Myint
U Soe Thein
U Zaw Min
U Than Htay
U Khin Yee
U Win Htun
U Khin Maung Soe
Gen Zaw Win (Second prime minister)
U Htun Htun Oo (Chief Justice)
10 region or state chief ministers
U La John Ngan Saing (Kachin State)
U Khin Maun Oo (aka) U Bu Reh (Kayar state)
U Zaw Min (Kayin state)
U Ohn Ngai (Chin State)
U Thar Aye (Sagaing Region)
U Ko Myat Ko (Tanintharyi Region)
U Nyan Win (Pegu Region)
U Ohn Myint (Mon State)
U Hla Maung Tin (Rakhaine state)
U Sao Aung Myat (Shan state)
9 regional commanders
Gen. Zayar Aung (Northern Region)
Gen. Aung Kyaw Zaw (North-eastern Region)
Gen. Soe Htut (Eastern Region)
Gen Tun Tun Naung (Middle-eastern Region)
Gen Than Htun Oo (Triangle Region)
Gen. Tin Maung Win (South-eastern Region)
Gen. Khin Maung htay (Costal Region)
Gen. Soe Lwin (North-western Region)
Gen. Nyo Saw (Southern Region)
18 ethnic parliament members
People's Assembly
Daw Dwe Bu (Kachin)
U Soe Reh (Kayar)
U Saw Thein Aung (Kayin)
U Ngon Maung (Chin)
Daw Mi Yin Chan (Chin)
U Ba Shein (Rakhine)
U Sa Ti Phan (Shan)
U Hla Tun (Naga)
U Kyin Wan (Wa)
Amyotha Luttdaw
U Sa Khont Taint Yain (Kachin)
U Sann Rahe (Kayar)
U Saw Htun Mya Aung (Kayin)
U Paw Lyan Lwin (Chin)
U Saw Ohn (Mon)
U Ohn Tin (Rakhine)
U Sai Kyaw Zaw Than (Shan) Myanmar Egress)

Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC) 

Secretariat for the Myanmar Peace Committee and reports to the President's office
Address: No. 11, Shweli Road, Kamaryut Township, Yangon.
Opened: Nov.3, 2012
Headed by: Aung Min (President’s Office Minister)
Run by: Soe Thein (President’s Office Minister), Khin Ye (Home Affairs Minister)
Kyaw Yin Hlaing (Myanmar Egress), Hla Maung Shwe (Myanmar Egress), Aung Naing Oo (Vahu Development Institute), Dr. Min Zaw Oo (Academic), Kyaw Soe Naing (is ensured.