Workshop on Ceasefire Monitoring Held in Hakha

16 November 2012: A two-day workshop on monitoring ceasefires and peace agreements has come to an end with 36 participants in Hakha, Chin State today.

The workship organized by the Chin Peace and Tranquility Committee (CPTC) in partnership with the Shalom Foundation drew key issues with its focus based on the agreements between the Chin National Front (CNF) and Chin State government earlier this year.

Salai Van Chan Ceu, Chin coordinator, said it was not that satisfying to see only a few members, out of the invited list, from Chin State government attending the workshop.

The workshop was attended by Colonel Zaw Min Oo, Minister of Security and Border Affairs; Pu Ral Hnin, CNF leader in charge of Thantlang Liaison Office; Chin MPs, CPTC members, and religious and civil society organization leaders.

“It is great that members of the Chin Women Organization and Hakha Youth Organization as well as community leaders are invited to this workshop. The peace process must be inclusive and more collective,” said one of the Hakha youth leaders.

The workshop, which took place in the Hakha Union Guest House, had two key speakers from the Shalom Foundation, Ms Nang Raw, of Kachin ethnicity and Ms Chin Chin, of Chin ethnicity.

It was the first public workshop of ceasefire monitoring and verification held in Chin State since the signing of the CNF-Chin State government peace deal in January 2012.

On 7 May this year, the two parties reached a 15-point agreement of the Terms of Reference, which includes a formation of a ‘ceasefire monitoring body’.

The agreement said the Ceasefire Monitoring Body shall immediately send notice to the ‘Crisis Mediation Group’ in the event that the Union Government, the Myanmar Army, Myanmar Police Force, Chin State Government, Chin National Front and Chin National Army failed to observe any of points of the agreements, including the preliminary 9-point ceasefire agreements.

Led by Christian leaders, the Chin Peace and Tranquility Committee facilitated the first two rounds of peace talks between Chin State government and CNF, an armed group fighting for self-determination, democracy and federalism in Burma.

Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang
[email protected]