YANGON: Myanmar’s government and ethnic Kachin rebels began peace talks on Monday in the Chinese border town of Ruili aiming at to try to rescue a faltering peace process and end one of the country’s bloodiest ethnic conflicts.
The two sides have held 11 rounds of talks since the conflict broke out anew in June 2011 when a 17-year truce collapsed, but they failed to make any breakthrough.
The meeting comes following an unprecedented escalation in a conflict in which the military has been accused of using excessive force, discrediting a government lauded for its broad reforms and initiating a nationwide peace drive.
DND
