Gov't peace maker : Myanmar, KNU to cease fire next month

Myanmar's central government and the country's biggest anti-government ethnic armed group -- Kayin National Union (KNU) will sign a ceasefire agreement in Hpa-an, the capital of southeastern Kayin state, next month as preliminary agreed by the two sides, local media reported Sunday. Quoting Minister of Rail Transportation U Aung Min, leader of the central government's peace making group, local media the Voice disclosed that the date of the signing was proposed for Jan. 12, 2012 when the two sides met in Thailand days ago. It was the first central level meeting between the two sides, and it was described as a meeting of confidence building, the report said, adding that more talks between the two sides will follow. President U Thein Sein made a peace offer to armed groups in the country in August, under which peace making will be carried out in three phases. The first phase is to ceasefire, set up liaison offices and travel without holding arms to each other's territory. The second phase is confidence building, holding political dialogue, implement regional development tasks in terms of education, health and communication. And the third phase is to sign agreement for eternal peace in the presence of the parliament represented by nationalities, political parties and different walks of life, according to the report. In response to the president's peace call, 10 armed groups including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have so far talked with the government, official media said. Meanwhile, U Thein Sein ordered the government forces on Dec. 10 to stop offensive against the KIA in northern Kachin state when peace negotiation process is underway. However, reports said intermittent fightings are still going on despite the order. Led by its chairman U Zaung Hara, the KIA initiated peace talks with the central government's peace making group, headed by U Aung Thaung, on Nov. 29 in Ruili, a border town in southwest China linking Myanmar's Muse. Both sides agreed to continue initial peace talks for ceasefire and political dialogue. The KNU represents the biggest anti-government ethnic armed group in Myanmar having fought the government for over five decades, while the KIO once returned to the government's legal fold in 1994 under ceasefire agreement. However, the KIA rejected to be transformed into the government 's border guard force, and armed clashes between the government forces and the KIA broke out in the Kachin state in early June near a power project site of Tarpein. The fighting intensified in August and intermittent battles have been taking place since then, forcing the displacement of about 40,000 refugees, according to the Messenger News which quoted the latest figures of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) as reporting Sunday.