Myanmar government and Karen rebels sign ceasefire

Jan 12, 2012, 10:52 GMT

Pa-an, Myanmar - The Myanmar government and Karen rebels on Thursday signed a ceasefire for the first time in the six-decade ethnic minority insurgency.

The Karen National Union (KNU) had not anticipated a quick agreement because the two sides entered the talks with divergent agendas, so KNU leaders based on the Thai-Myanmar border expressed surprise at the government's quick acceptance of their two peace proposals.

'Our main point was to ask the government to stop attacking all the ethnic minority areas and to order their troops back, so it was very surprising that they agreed to that,' said Zipporah Sein, KNU secretary general.

Railways Minister Aung Min, who heads the government's peace committee, said at the talks in the Karen State capital, Pa-an, 150 kilometres east of Yangon, that the ceasefire went into effect immediately, but Zipporah Sein expressed worry.

'They have only agreed in principle, and I'm afraid the central government will not agree because they still need the approval of the defence minister,' she said.

The KNU representatives at the talks said the agreements were a good first step. 'We want to see the peace process go forward,' KNU secretary David Taw said.

The KNU, which has been fighting Myanmar central governments since 1949, is one of a dozen insurgencies that have been struggling for autonomy for their traditional territories for decades.

The KNU signed a pact Thursday with the Karen State government and another with the national government's peace committee.

In the agreement with the state government, KNU members were granted permission to travel freely in Myanmar, providing they are unarmed.

'I will look into providing them with national identity cards and temporary travel permits,' said Immigration Minister Khin Yi, who attended the peace talks.

KNU general Mutu Say Poe led the 19-person rebel delegation in Pa-an.

In its 63-year insurgency, the KNU had never signed a ceasefire with the government although it had held peace talks on five previous occasions.

Thursday's talks opened with the world watching whether the government that took office last year would continue its path towards reform and whether it would lead to meaningful change.

Myanmar's government in December signed a tentative ceasefire with the Shan State Army-South, based in Shan State in the north-east, and this month signed a peace pact with the Chin National Army, based in Chin State in the north-west.

Since coming to office on March 30, President Thein Sein has taken a reformist line.

In August, he initiated a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, paving the way for her return to mainstream politics as a candidate in April parliamentary by-elections.

The government also released 347 political prisoners although hundreds more are estimated to still be in custody. It has now started peace talks with several ethnic rebel groups fighting for autonomy.

Western democracies have demanded the release of all political prisoners and an end to military action against the minority groups as conditions for lifting economic sanctions imposed since 1988.