The ongoing peace process in Burma that began in 2011 has been good for cross-border trade between the two countries, according to Thai security sources.

For instance, there were 352 monitored clashes between the Burma Army and the Thai-Burmese border based Karen, Karenni and Shan armed movements in 2011. But the number dropped to 105 in 2012, after Naypyitaw succeeded in concluding ceasefire agreements with 13 of them, according to a senior national security official.

According to Sai Nyunt Lwin, General Secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) who is heading the Shan State Conference Organizing Committee, some 23 Shan State and Kayah State based movements will be invited to the conference to be held in Lashio, Shan State’s norther capital, on the first week of March.

Shans who had held a highly successful forum in November are now moving forward to hold a Shan State conference in March which is expected to be joined by parties from the neighboring Kayah State, according to Sai Lake, spokesperson for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) from Lashio yesterday.

Peace building is not a part of the draft 5 year national plan submitted to the parliament for deliberation at the ongoing session, according to reports coming from Naypyitaw.

“It is a very sad thing to learn that the peace building process, most critical for the country, is not included in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar’s draft 5 year national plan that began in the 2011-2012 fiscal year and will end in the 2015-2016 fiscal year,” Nang Wah Nu, MP, People’s Assembly, Kunhing township, was reported as saying on 12 January.

Loi Taileng.    A draft for a new improved charter was read out and explained by Maj-Gen Sai Yi, Vice President of the Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and head of the constitutional revision team, during the 4 day annual meeting, 16-19 January, at Loi Taileng, opposite Maehongson’s Pang Mapha district.

Speaking during the 4-day annual meeting of the Restoration Council of Shan State/ Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) which ended Saturday, 19 January, the movement’s supreme leader Lt Gen Yawdserk said it had strictly adhered to the ceasefire agreement made with Naypyitaw since 2 December 2011.

Winding up the 4-day United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) meeting yesterday, General Secretary of the 11 member organization alliance Nai Hongsa reiterated this morning that there would be nothing to talk about at the next round of peace talks with Naypyitaw’s point man U Aung Min as long as the offensive against Laiza, the headquarters of its leading member Kachin Independence Organization / Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA) continues.

The next step on the way to the long-awaited peace conference is to discuss and reach an agreement on its framework and a meeting between the two sides for the said purpose is most likely to take place in Thailand, according to Nai Hong Sar, General Secretary of the 11 armed movement alliance, United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC).