Myanmar’s MPs to propose Kachin peace solution

Published on Friday, 28 December 2012 11:25

Waimaw Thargaya IDP camp seen in December 15 (Photo-Tun Lin Aung)

Both Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament will submit a proposal on the peace issue in northern Myanmar’s Kachin State during a parliamentary session scheduled for next month, according to Members of Parliament (MPs).  
In the proposal, the National Race Affairs Committees from both Houses will urge the government to establish a national policy to restore peace promptly in Kachin State.  
"Kachin State has suffered a prolonged war. And with the passage of time, regional security is worsening. At present, we need to achieve peace there most quickly," Upper House MP Khet Htein Nan told reporters on December 25.
"This is why we will make a peace proposal in the parliament. We will urge the central government to establish policies for restoring peace in the region," he said.  
He also pointed out the reason why the war keeps plaguing Kachin State is that neither the government nor the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) can build trust in a practical manner, and they have so far failed to reach a ceasefire or withdrawal of troops.
KIA should not continue justifying their reasons to fight as to prevent the invasion of government army, and meanwhile the government army should stop playing up fears that KIA might overthrow the Kachin State Government if they retreat.
Both sides need to build mutual trust, said Daw Dwe Bu, secretary of the National Race Affairs and Internal Peace Making Committee of the Lower House.  
More than 2,000 skirmishes have occurred over the year in Kachin State, forcing a hundred thousand people to flee the affected areas.