Critical time for ethnic minorities in Burma

Nirmal Ghosh, The Straits Times, Publication Date : 01-03-2012

Burma's armed ethnic groups are divided in the face of the government's new conciliatory approach to ending 60 years of conflict.

But analysts said they have to overcome their own vested interests and mistrust of one another or risk missing a historic chance at nation building.

In a rare joint press conference by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of ethnic minority organisations, representatives expressed hope that ongoing negotiations would ultimately address their demands for autonomy and equal rights under a federation.

Ethnic minorities make up 40 per cent of Burma's population of 55 million.

"The government is talking of development in the ethnic minority areas, but development is not what we are demanding," said Dr Khin Maung, vice-chairman of the Arakan National Council, which is part of the UNFC.
"We demand equal rights and self-determination," he added at the press conference held near the Thailand-Burma border on Tuesday.

Releasing a joint press statement later, the group said it is committed to having the talks succeed. But on close examination, deep distrust lies not only between the armed groups and the government, but also among the ethnic groups themselves.

Many have developed their own economic fiefdoms, living off natural resources and taxing trade, and see any change in the status quo as a potential threat.

The UNFC was formed in 2010 to present a united front in negotiations with the government, although there are questions as to whether it is truly representative of all ethnic voices in Burma. Their lack of unity is seen as working in favour of the newly elected Burmese government.

"The Myanmar (Burma) government is strengthened and the UNFC weakened when the ethnic nationalities are disorganised and not united," Arakan Liberation Party leader Khaing Soe Naing Aung said in a recent interview with the Democratic Voice of Burma. "They should refuse to negotiate separately and instead stand together in firm unity."

The newly elected government has surprised many with its pace of reform. Besides opening the country to foreign businesses and loosening its grip on the indigenous press, the government led by President Thein Sein has also signed nine ceasefire agreements with armed ethnic groups and factions, including the Karen, Shan, Chin, Wa and Kokang minorities.

Tensions remain, however. Talks with the Kachin minority have been marred by sporadic fighting, which has in recent months left well over 45,000 Kachin people displaced.

Still, an agreement was signed last week with the New Mon State Party, on the understanding that 'political dialogue' would commence in 45 days.

"We see there is a change taking place and we welcome it," said the party's general secretary, Nai Hong Sa, on Tuesday.

He added that Thein Sein looked sincere but wonders if the military, which ruled the country with an iron fist before the 2010 general elections, has genuinely changed. "We are cautiously optimistic but also suspicious," he said.

None of the groups wants to recognise the country's 2008 Constitution which weighs power in favour of the military. They also express little faith in the effectiveness of Burma's new Parliament.

Analysts fear this may leave political dialogue - seen as the litmus test of the ceasefire agreements - mired in deadlock. If so, the ethnic organisations risk missing a historic chance for progress.

The government has pledged a peace process to return the conflicted country to some normalcy, which could prompt the lifting of economic sanctions by the United States and other countries.

"There is a window now which has not been there for years and everyone has to be constructive," said a source who was present at the press conference.

The conference was held after a meeting of UNFC leaders near Chiang Mai in Thailand. The source, who followed the meeting closely, told The Straits Times that there could be a disconnect between the ethnic leaders in Burma and those based in Thailand.

"The question remains how much they have consulted with their own communities and how keen they are to change themselves," he said, pointing out that some of them have very strong economic interests.

Aung Naing Oo, director of the Vahu Development Institute, a think-tank based in Chiang Mai, said that while the ethnic groups' position was understandable, they often talked in abstract terms.

"There is no talk of real issues like development and education," added Aung, who recently made a trip to Burma after 24 years in exile and met a number of top government officials and civil society representatives.

"This is a very critical time, we have a chance but we need to go past these ideological debates. If they don't pay attention to nation building, they and their people - ordinary people - will lose out. The world is changing around them," he told The Straits Times.
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