YANGON: Myanmar on Thursday signed a ceasefire with eight ethnic minority armies in a step towards ending decades of civil war, a move weakened by the refusal of several other rebel groups to join the deal.

The truce is the fruit of more than two years of negotiations and was a key goal of reformist President Thein Sein ahead of November elections, which are likely to sweep his army-backed party from power.

In a lavish televised signing ceremony in the remote capital Naypyidaw, Thein Sein said the deal would give “an inheritance of peace” to future generations.

State-backed newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar said the agreement may herald a “fully fledged peace process that will end more than 60 years of civil conflict”.

But hopes for a full nationwide ceasefire before the November 8 election crumbled recently after several rebel groups baulked at any deal without the inclusion of all insurgent forces — notably smaller organisations locked in conflict with the army.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2015

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