Less-than-Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement Signed in Burma (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Oct. 15, 2015 |
| Report Number |
IN10374 |
| Report Type |
Insight |
| Authors |
Martin, Michael F. |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Eight ethnic groups and representatives of Burma's government signed a ceasefire agreement on October 15, possibly moving the country one step closer to ending its six decade long civil war (see text box). However, more than a dozen ethnic groups did not sign the agreement, including most of those actively fighting with the government's army, the Tatmadaw, leaving the agreement well short of the nationwide ceasefire President Thein Sein sought to complete before parliamentary elections scheduled for November 8, 2015. Each of the eight ethnic groups had agreed to separate ceasefire agreements with the Thein Sein government. Two other ethnic groups, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) and the United Wa State Army (UWSA), did not participate in the negotiations and had previously announced that they had no intention of signing the ceasefire agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, a political dialogue is to begin with 90 days (January 13, 2016) to discuss terms for the formation of a federal government and a peace agreement. In no more than 14 days (October 29), the parties to the agreement are to meet to define a timeline to abide by a mutually binding military code of conduct. Given the limited number of ethnic groups who signed the agreement, however, it is unclear if these discussions will occur. The ceasefire agreement resolves many issues underlying the nation's long-standing civil war, but does not address some of the more controversial issues, such as the terms of post-ceasefire political dialogue, the status of the ethnic militias, and the ceasefire's code of conduct for the Tatmadaw and the ethnic militias.
