Karen State Opens First Local-level JMC Office in Hpapun

Supporting the nuts and bolts of implementing the peace process, a local-level committee was formed with an office in Hpapun township, Karen State officially opened on August 30.

This is the first local-level Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee to get to work. The eight-member committee includes three representatives from the government, three from ethnic armed organizations and two from the community. The Hpapun office is overseen by the Karen State-level Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, which was launched in June 2016.

“As priority was given to opening state-level offices, the local-level office has only now been opened now,” said Daw Nan Say Awar, a civilian representative on the state’s JMC.

According to the state JMC members, there are plans to establish more local offices in Taungoo, Dawei, Kawkareik, and Kya-in Seikkyi.

The opening ceremony of the first local office was attended by Major General Myo Win, commander of the Tatmadaw’s Southeastern Command, Karen State Minister of Security and Border Affairs Colonel Myo Min Naung, the Karen State police chief, Union-level JMC vice chair Matthew Aye, Karen State’s JMC vice chair Colonel Saw Phaw Do and other state-level officials.