Set an aim to end armed conflicts

ALL ethnic nationalities in Myanmar have, since ancient times, lived together in unity without fragmentation, each preserving its own literature and distinct cultural charac­teristics. However, after more than 100 years under colonial rule and systematic divide-and-rule policies, differing ideologies began to take hold in the post-independence period.

Various organizations, factions, and political parties split apart, weakening unity, and some sought to resolve political is­sues through armed means and violence. As a result, with the attainment of independence, ethnic armed groups emerged in Myanmar, and amid prolonged armed conflicts, local ethnic communities have endured long periods of instability and multiple forms of hardship without peace or security.

Since Myanmar gained independence, successive governments have regarded internal peace and stability as essential national priori­ties and have continuously worked to realize them by inviting ethnic armed groups to pursue peace through out­reach, meetings, and dialogue. In striving for lasting peace, they sought to replace mis­guided armed demands with the correct political approach of dialogue and negotiation.

Myanmar initially made progress as it sought to move forward with momentum along the path of a multiparty democratic system, but in the later period, it encountered setbacks before reaching its goal. Taking advantage of this situation, opposing groups re­sorted to armed terrorism to create instability and unrest within the country, undermining peace and stability nationwide.

Some ethnic armed groups also incited misguided and poorly educated youths who had strayed into violent extremism, mobilizing them to wage war and expand territory. As a result, key sectors affecting local communities, including education, healthcare, and socioeconomic development, failed to improve and instead deteri­orated. Actions that undermine regional peace and stability and hinder development are not only disgraceful but will also remain a dark stain in history.

Because of misguided armed approaches, the envisioned dem­ocratic federal union has suffered the loss of substantial human resources and many developing basic infrastructures. Resolving issues through armed struggle has produced no meaningful results for more than 70 years, while national development has remained slow. Therefore, armed conflicts must be halted, and political prob­lems must be resolved through political means based on sincerity.

If there is a shared commitment to building a Union based on democracy and a federal system, and a genuine desire for the development of the country and its peoples, all armed organiza­tions should enter the legal framework and participate in efforts that benefit both the nation and its communities. Only in this way can armed conflicts be brought to an end and the country achieve greater development and progress.