A Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) has been established in Yangon with the European Union funding to serve as a platform for dialogue between all those concerned by Myanmar's ethnic peace processes.
The visiting European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and the Minister of the Office of the President of Myanmar Aung Min on Saturday signed a Joint Declaration for the establishment of the MPC.
The Government of Myanmar and the European Union share the view of the historic opportunity for securing lasting peace in Myanmar and for bringing prosperity to ethnic areas after decades of conflict have come to an end. The MPC will work towards this goal. It shall build confidence and it shall advance the respect for political and human rights, the European Commission said in a statement.
Barroso termed the establishment of the Myanmar Peace Center as a key step towards ethnic reconciliation and lasting peace in Myanmar. He applauded the initiative of President U Thein Sein and his team, lead by Minister U Aung Min. He pledged the EU's support to the Myanmar Government and "all ethnic stakeholders on the challenging road that lies ahead". Barroso underlined that the EU funds the MPC's start-up with EUR 700,000, to be followed by a sizable package later this year, also benefiting ethnic communities. In 2013, the EU will contribute a total of EUR30 million to Myanmar's ethnic peace process.
Aung Min said "A new chapter in Myanmar's history is opening up. Creating the MPC expresses the desire of President U Thein Sein for inclusive and enduring peace, and of its will to work with all stakeholders." He added that "the Myanmar Government concluded initial ceasefires with ten out of eleven ethnic armed groups. The President has stated clearly in his speech at the UNGA that this is not enough. Genuine peace shall satisfy political aspirations and address grievances of ethnic communities in Myanmar. This can only happen with a non-partisan platform for comprehensive dialogue. We are happy to work with the European Union - laureate of this year's Peace Nobel Prize".
The Myanmar Government has recently institutionalized its peace process architecture in the form of the Union Peace-making Central Committee and the Union Peace-making Work Committee. Established by Presidential Decree, the Myanmar Peace Center will serve as the Secretariat to these committees. The MPC will also serve as the focal point for international partners and civil society organizations on issues related to the peace process.
Thousands of people who were displaced in ongoing inter-communal violence in western Myanmar's Rakhine state are under fear of being attacked again if the troops leave," says the United Nations refugee agency said in a report Friday.
The United Nations refugee agency has called for an immediate return to calm in Rakhine, where ongoing inter-communal violence has uprooted more than 35,000 people.
The latest wave of unrest brings to 110,000 the total number of people displaced by inter-communal violence in Rakhine state since June this year.
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