Aung Min: government ready to discuss all issues demand by ethnic groups

A Minister from the government said yesterday that they are willing to talk and settle all demands asked by the national ethnic groups. Minister Aung Min of the office of the President, also vice chairman of the Union Level Peace Working Committee, disclosed during the seminar Trust Building for Peace (Shan State and Kayah State) in Lashio, Shan State that the committee responsible for peace negotiations will discuss what the ethnic group demands and to look for a better solution to the current issues and concern, said news report from Eleven Media.

He further added that peace talks should be based on understanding, mutual trust and respect so that in the long run it will bear constructive results.

According to KhunTunOo, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, attaining peace cannot be done by forcing two parties. Mutual understanding should exist. Organizing a peace committee is useless unless series of discussions will be held between the government and the ethnic groups.

Moreover the Constitution of 2008 does not make any representation of the ethnic groups. This is one cause of the continuous conflicts between the government and the ethnic minorities since the constitution have extended the powers to the military. They call on the constitution to be amended in order to address various ethnic concerns thru a federal system.

Aye Tha Aung , a political party representative revealed that the main reason why there’s no answer for the 60 years of internal conflict in the country is because the will to find a political solution is not enough. The right attitude and proper procedures must be undertaken to be able to attain peace, the report said.

Participants of the seminar include observers, armed ethnic groups and parties as well as members of the government’s peace working committee. This forum will end tomorrow.