Historic peace talks between Myanmar’s military and ethnic rebel groups opened this morning with celebratory songs and dancing and an emotive speech from leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“The efforts made now are not for the benefit of those in this hall, but for future generations,” she said before a crowd of hundreds of delegates from ethnic armed groups.
Close to 2,000 representatives are attending the five-day conference in Naypyitaw, the nation’s capital, with the intention of ending five decades of civil strife.
The talks have been dubbed the ’21st Century Panglong’, after a 1947 agreement brokered by Suu Kyi’s father that granted autonomy to ethnic groups.
“Since the NLD was established, we aimed to make political dialogues based on the Panglong spirit,” said Suu Kyi this morning. “These dialogues can guarantee equality, mutual respect between members of ethnic groups.”
Since Myanmar’s independence from Britain in 1948, ethnic factions have been fighting to control their land. Over the past five years, scores of people have been killed and 240,000 displaced by the violence.
The previous military-backed government inked a national ceasefire agreement, but only nine out of 15 invited groups signed.
All 21 have been invited to these talks, but three engaged in ongoing fighting are not expected to attend as they have not signaled their intention to lay down weapons.
