Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi stresses unity in country to resist pressure

Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has stressed the need for unity and solidarity of all the country people, warning that the country would be put under pressure and bullied by others if there was no unity in the country.

Meeting with members of the Peace Process Steering Team of signatory armed groups to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday, Aung San Suu Kyi urged the ethnic groups to cooperate in the mechanism of Union Enterprises for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development (UEHRD), established with the aim of allowing the government and all local and international organizations to work in all sectors and all strata of society, Myanmar News Agency reported Tuesday.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of the NCA, calling for resuming Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee meeting.

Those armed groups present at the meeting voiced support of the government's handling in Rakhine issue, pledging to stand with the government and the armed forces regarding the accusations of international communities over the Rakhine issue.

Marking the second anniversary of the signing of the NCA between the government and eight ethnic armed groups out of 15, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), reiterated the government's welcome of non- signatory armed groups to the NCA on Sunday to join in the peace process by being inclusive in formulating the principles toward a democratic federal union in the future.

The NCA was initiated on Oct. 15, 2015 during the previous U Thein Sein's government tenure.

Following the NCA initiation, Myanmar's incumbent government has held the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference for two times respectively in August 2016 and May 2017.

The second meeting of the Panglong Peace conference was able to incorporate a total of 37 adopted principles into a union accord in the country's peace process for the first time in Myanmar's history.

The third meeting of the Panglong peace conference is expected by later this year.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)