“A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that?” -Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador 16 April 1978 […]
Category: Opinion/Analysis
Opinion
Why Is Aung San Suu Kyi-led NLD Government Barking the Wrong Tree?
During its election campaigns, the NLD launched its 2015 election manifesto stressing on what NLD yelled ‘change’ with four principles, namely (1) ethnic affairs and internal peace, (2) a constitution that ensures that all the people of our country can live together in tranquility and security, (3) a system of government that will fairly and […]
Burma’s peace process and OBOR
Photo: China Internet Information Center (china.org.cn) The stagnation of Myanmar’s ongoing peace process is well known, which has started out in 2011 by the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)-led Thein Sein regime. The peace process is taken over by the National League for Democracy (NLD) government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2016, […]
The third session of 21st Century Panglong Conference: More informal engagement than official meetings?
Photo: Union Peace Conference The much awaited third 21st Century Panglong, officially known as Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong (UPC – 21CP) was held in Nay Pyi Taw from July 11 to 16. Actually, the first UPC, without the suffix 21CP, was conducted by the Thein Sein regime in January 2016. But when […]
State of Affairs: Post 2011 Kachin War
The 1994 ceasefire forged between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the military government of Myanmar came to an abrupt end on June 9, 2011, when a KIA outpost was attacked by the Tatmadaw or Burma Army. Tensions had been simmering ever since the KIO rejected the government’s Border Guard Force Plan which would have […]
NLD’s Official Position: Panglong Agreement Inferior to 2008 Constitution
As Director general of the State Counselor Office Zaw Htay’s official answer of May 2017, regarding Panglong Agreement query, resurfaced again on Facebook one year later, it is essential to again clarify the ethnic nationalities position, especially for those who have been engaged in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)-based ongoing peace negotiation process. The question […]