• Burmese
Friday, June 13, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
30 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Peace Brokers Lack a Mandate: Burma Expert

Saw Yan Naing by Saw Yan Naing
March 18, 2014
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
Peace Brokers Lack a Mandate: Burma Expert

Journalist Bertil Lintner speaks at the Royal Rose restaurant in Rangoon. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy)

6.7k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RANGOON — Those attempting to negotiate an end to decades of armed conflict in Burma lack a mandate to effectively broker peace between the Burmese government and the country’s ethnic armed groups, according to Burma expert Bertil Lintner.

Speaking at a conference on “The Peace Process, Constitutional Reform and the Role of Ethnics” in Rangoon on Monday, Lintner said that peace advocates like President’s Office Minister Aung Min, who heads the government’s peace negotiation team, and members of the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), a government-affiliated nonprofit organization involved in peace talks, lack authority to make decisions on the ethnic conflicts.

“He [Aung Min] doesn’t have any mandate to discuss anything accept the ceasefire agreement. And he promises for dialogue sometime in the future. He has no political mandate,” said Lintner.

RelatedPosts

Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border

Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border

May 30, 2025
3.1k
Scamming China; Aid for Vote-Rigging; and More

Scamming China; Aid for Vote-Rigging; and More

January 25, 2025
1.6k
A Town So Close, But Yet So Far

A Town So Close, But Yet So Far

November 5, 2024
1.7k

The veteran Swedish journalist, who has written numerous books on Burma, said the peace process has become an industry where international peace experts and nongovernmental organizations are lavishing money on peace advocacy and development projects. However, due to limited knowledge or understanding of the historical and political background of armed non-state ethnic minorities, the foreign experts do more harm than good, he argued.

He cited the MPC as an example. The center receives significant financial support from international donors such as the European Union (EU), but lacks capacity in promoting the peace process, he said.

“The MPC is like an organization which is being paid for doing nothing,” said Lintner.

According to a monitoring report by Burma News International, the EU granted start-up funding to the MPC in 2012 of 700,000 euro, almost US$1 million, followed by a sizable funding package later in 2012. The EU gave a total of 30 million euro, about $38 million, to Burma’s peace process in 2013.

Many observers say trust between the government and the armed ethnic minorities is still poor and existing ceasefire agreements are still fragile. Mechanisms to consolidate the ceasefires, such as codes of conduct for ethnic areas are not in place.

Economic development has been prioritized in the peace process, but observers say armed struggle is unlikely to end until ethnic groups’ political demands, like the demand for autonomy, are addressed.

Lintner said existing ceasefire agreements were just pieces of paper, and they can break down anytime.

Several ethnic armed groups saw ceasefire’s break down and fighting with the Burma Army resume in 2010 and 2011.

Lintner said that even though there is no exchange of fire in Karen State, eastern Burma, government troops are still deployed in Karen National Union-controlled regions—despite a ceasefire agreement with the rebel group—and military supplies to the region are increasing.

In an interview earlier, MPC member Kyaw Yin Hlaing admitted that Burma’s peace process has a long way to go.

“The situation remains fragile. The ceasefires can break down at any moment. But, of course, everybody is working really hard,” said Kyaw Yin Hlaing.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Border
Saw Yan Naing

Saw Yan Naing

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Karen Ethnic Army Launches Final Push to Capture Myawaddy on Thai Border
Burma

Karen Ethnic Army Launches Final Push to Capture Myawaddy on Thai Border

by The Irrawaddy
April 9, 2024
10.3k

The KNLA and PDF groups launched an attack on the last junta battalion defending Myawaddy on Tuesday afternoon and were...

Read moreDetails
Beijing Condemns Myanmar Border Clashes That Caused Chinese Casualties
Myanmar-China Watch

Beijing Condemns Myanmar Border Clashes That Caused Chinese Casualties

by AFP
January 4, 2024
4.4k

China said it will ‘take all necessary measures’ to protect its citizens after an artillery shell from Myanmar reportedly struck...

Read moreDetails
Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border
Burma

Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border

by The Irrawaddy
May 30, 2025
3.1k

The powerful KNU and allies are advancing with coordinated attacks aimed at clearing regime troops from three states and one...

Read moreDetails
Four Reasons Why Junta Will Be Sole Beneficiary of Thai-Myanmar Taskforce
Guest Column

Four Reasons Why Junta Will Be Sole Beneficiary of Thai-Myanmar Taskforce

by Surachanee Sriyai
December 29, 2023
3k

Thailand is stepping into a minefield with moves for joint humanitarian assistance in case of a refugee crisis on its...

Read moreDetails
KNU ‘Ready to Work With China, Bangkok’ to Rid Thai Border of Crime
Burma

KNU ‘Ready to Work With China, Bangkok’ to Rid Thai Border of Crime

by The Irrawaddy
January 2, 2024
2.6k

The ethnic armed group’s New Year’s vow comes amid concerns that Chinese crime syndicates being pushed out of Shan State...

Read moreDetails
Tapping China for Green Power Lifeline; Touting Tourism Fantasy to Russians; and More
Junta Watch

Tapping China for Green Power Lifeline; Touting Tourism Fantasy to Russians; and More

by The Irrawaddy
November 2, 2024
2.2k

Also this week, a shadowy visit to Beijing, and backing for border blitz from China.

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
After Snubbing Loan

After Snubbing Loan, Burma Awaits China's Response on Road Link

Health

Health, Loan Insurance Coming to Burma This Year

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

The Hidden Fallout From China’s Cross-Border Crime Crackdown in Myanmar

The Hidden Fallout From China’s Cross-Border Crime Crackdown in Myanmar

4 days ago
1.4k
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

2 days ago
883

Most Read

  • Civilians in Need as Arakan Army Advances on Kyaukphyu

    Civilians in Need as Arakan Army Advances on Kyaukphyu

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Advances into Karenni State

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Jade Hub Burns as Junta Counteroffensive Penetrates Hpakant

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Reinforces Kyaukphyu as AA Nears China-Backed SEZ Hub

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.