Non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), who have been designated as ‘special invitees,’ will be permitted to speak their piece at the first Union Peace Conference (UPC) which starts today, according to sources from Naypyidaw.

“They can present their case with regards to each thematic issues chosen by the UPC organizers,” said a Shan representative.

So far, only representatives from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) are attending as special invitees. Others have boycotted it.

“The decision to allow the non-signatories to speak should have been made known earlier,” criticized a senior Shan politician. “Now it is too late to change their minds,” he said of the non-signatory groups.

The issues selected by the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), a 48-member setup made up of 16 members from three key stakeholders blocs—government-parliament-military, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and political parties—are:

• Politics Basic principles for a federal democracy
• Social Resettlement and reconstruction for IDPs
• Economy Tax and revenue sharing
• Security             Basic principles for Union security and defense
• Land and natural resources Management and distribution

The five-day gathering will end on 16 January after reading out reports and conclusions (“not decisions,” according to another Shan participant) from each thematic group.

Concerns have been raised by critics, many of whom had experienced decisions pre-determined by the then ruling military junta at the 14-year-long National Convention (NC), better known as Nyaung Hnabin (Two Banyan Trees) Convention, held to draw up the basic principles for what became the 2008 constitution.

“We don’t want more Nyaung Hnabins,” said Sai Nyunt Lwin, General Secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD).

His party will be represented by younger members at the UPC, he added.

The first UPC is expected to be followed by state/regional level political dialogues, where proposals for each five key topics will be further developed.

A total of 1,136 participants and observers including representatives from foreign embassies, UN agencies, INGOs, government recognized organizations and CSOs have been invited.

By SAI KHUENSAI / Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N)