As if having three independent facilitating centers for peace is not enough, another center has been recently established and registered, according to a reliable source from Rangoon.

This latest setup has been named the Center for Peace and Reconciliation (CPR). “The name was taken from the Deed of Commitment (DoC) for Peace and Reconciliation (which was signed between the President and 4 ethnic armed organizations on 12 February last year that became the accelerator for the completion of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement that was signed on 15 October),” said the source.

The three other existing peace facilitators are Rangoon based Nyein Foundation, Chiangmai based Ethnic Nationalities Affairs Center (founded by the United Nationalities Federal Council), and the Pyidaungsu Institute for Peace and Dialogue (PI), which has offices both in Chiangmai and Rangoon.

Most of the members of the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) which was founded by the President Thein Sein in 2012 will be joining the CPR, said the source. Meanwhile, the incoming government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) has reportedly nominated Dr Tin Myo Win, Aung San Suu Kyi’s personal physician, to head the office.

“The reason is that trustbuilding between the NLD and the military is still in its preliminary stage,” explained the source. “And we don’t want any misunderstandings between the two parties because of us.”

There are still several issues on which Miss Suu Kyi and the Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing do not see eye to eye, especially the suspension of Article 59 (f) which bars her from becoming President. “The C-in-C wants to keep it as it is, at least for the next two years,” said the source.

The military and its surrogate political arm, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), are also reportedly unhappy with the NLD’s appointment of its former chairman Gen (ret) Thura Shwe Mann as head of the Commission for the Assessment of Legal Affairs and Special Issues (CALASI) on 5 February. “While the NLD says it has consulted the military chief, military sources denied he has given the go-ahead,” said the source.

CPR has long been an acronym for more than 200 definitions including eye catchers like Chopper, Critical Power Ratio, Center for Policy Research, Center for Professional Responsibility, Critical Point Region, and Child Protection Registry.

In the meantime, international funding for the peace process will be on hold until the new government takes over. Questioned by SHAN whether the status of the EAOs, whether being NCA signatories or non-signatories, would be a criterion, the source replied he didn’t think so.