Myanmar Reports Truce in the Works

The news from Myanmar/Burma has not been good these last few weeks.  Almost continuous clashes, initiated by Buddhist mobs, with Muslim minorities are being reported, with a second day of attacks in Lashio in eastern central Burma, far from the more dangerous areas of Rakhine state.

Today a bit of good news broke, though not between Buddhists and Muslims.

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and President Thein Sein’s government held three days of talks in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin. Previous rounds of negotiations had been held across the border in China.

They also agreed to hold political dialogue, a key demand of the Kachin,  who have long argued that negotiations should address their demands for more political rights as well as greater autonomy.

The two sides also agreed to hold discussions on resettling people displaced by the fighting and create a joint monitoring team.

The KIA are one of about a dozen armed groups which have risen inside the border of Burma, representing different ethnic groups.  It has been the largest, and most difficult to subdue.

It would be good all around for the negotiations to yield fruit.  See Al Jazeera for more