9 May 2012 : The Chin National Front (CNF) delegation and the Government’s peace team signed a15-point peace charter on 7 May in Hakha town, Chin state.
The Minister for Forest Affairs U Win Thun told Khonumthung that the agreement could be signed given the understanding reached at a meeting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union Rest House in Hakha town on May 7.
He said, “We reached an agreement almost on all the proposals of both the delagtions in the second phase of the union level peace talk. We succeeded since there was an understanding on both sides and we focussed on the future on a positive note.”
Dr. Salai Andrew Ngunchung, spokesperson of the CNF said, “We discussed 9 points about the work and responsibilities at the first meeting, but now we added another six points and reached an agreement.”
The 9 points included ceasefire, to open CNF’s liaison office in Tedim, Thantlang and Paletwa township, members of CNF be allowed free travel in Burma, continuation of peace talks at the union level on the basis of the Constitution, ethnic affairs and democracy, to implement development with international NGOs, to abolish opium cultivation in Chin state and to cooperate between the CNF and the Chin state government on business and development.
Although other points of agreement are not yet confirmed, it was agreed to celebrate 20 February as Chin National Day and 3 January as Chin State Day, and to provide visa for Chin people in foreign countries. However, one point, that is to establish a special commercial zone in Chin state, proposed by CNF has been set aside for the next meeting.