Tin Maung Thann, Special Advisor Myanmar Peace Center

He is the President of Myanmar Egress, the Vice President of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation, and a former member of the National Economic Advisor Council, that advises the Government on economic policy. But U Tin Maung Thann is probably best known for being one of the driving forces behind the Myanmar Peace Center, an organization setup to facilitate and mediate in the peace process. As a member of the Union Political Dialogue Joint Committee U Tin Maung Thann will sit at the negotiation table when the peace process enters the political dialogue phase next month. Frontier discussed issues ranging from inclusiveness to the NLD government and the soon to be operational joint peace fund.

Let’s start with the nationwide ceasefire, that has been signed two months ago. Some say 8 signatories out of 16 participating ethnic armed organizations in the peace talks is not a resounding success.

Well, eight groups doesn’t mean it’s half. We silenced the guns in two thirds of the conflict areas. By strength of forces of the 8 signatories, it’s like 80 per cent of the ethnic armed forces.

What motivates the non-signatories? Is it because the States bordering on China are rich on resources and they have more to gain economically from the current status quo?

The groups down south also have resources, but they border with Thailand. The Thai are neutral and very supportive. That decomplicates the political decisions along the Thai border. It’s a different story in the States that border with China. Political Chinese influence is not that significant, but vested personal business interests on both sides of the border are. That is the non political part of the factors affecting decision making.

Psychological factors play a role as well. At the very leadership level of for example the KNPP or the NMSP the leaders are old, their worldviews are very limited, and it’s a struggle to get them to come forward and sign. Psychologically they’re not secure. So we have to give them time. Or the changing political situation could influence the dynamic. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)