Redrawing Battle Lines in the Northeast

Oct 26, 2015, at 11:35 pm

Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management The Myanmar Government signed a Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) with eight ethnic armed groups on October 15, 2015, enhancing prospects of ending a majority of the country's long-running internal conflicts. President U Thein Sein hailed the signing of the Accord as a "historic" event. The signing ceremony was witnessed by international observers including representatives from India, Thailand, Japan, China, the United Nations and the European Union. Fifteen armed groups were invited to take part in negotiations that lasted almost two years, with eight groups finally agreeing to sign the NCA, while seven groups chose to stay away. Acknowledging that the ethnic Kachin and Wa - with tens of thousands of soldiers - are still determined to fight, President Thein Sein pledged to "try harder to gain agreement with other groups".