Myanmar peace talks: Powerful militia storms out of historic meeting

In an early blow to the historic Myanmar peace talks, delegates from one of Myanmar's most heavily-armed ethnic groups stormed out of the meeting on Thursday.

The five-day peace talks are being held in Myanmar to usher in peace between the divided ethnic groups in the region. The conference which is being held in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, is being seen as the nation's best chance to put an end to the incessant wars that have ensued in the nation for almost 70 years.

The feuds have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and are one of the major reasons why the country has not been able to cope with the rising rate of poverty.

The militia involved in the talks included the powerful 20,000-strong United Wa State Army (USWA). The army stopped fighting the government years ago in exchange for control of a remote portion of territory which shares its borders with China. This particular region is infamous for being a drug-manufacturing hub in the country.

Although the militia had initially refused to participate in the peace discussion saying that they had already signed their ceasefire pact with the previous military government in 1989, the group eventually relented as significant pressure was applied on them by China, which holds an influence over them. Leaders of the United Wa State Army also had a discussion with the nation's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi before joining the talks.

However, the delegates of the USWA walked out of the talks on the second day after they were told that they could not address the meeting. According to the government peace negotiator Khin Zaw Oo, the USWA delegates were given observation badges, instead of being allowed to speak during the talks which angered them and they subsequently stormed out of the meeting, AFP reported.