MYANMAR, Apr 22 (Reuters): The last ethnic insurgent group still fighting Myanmar's government has issued a new plea for the United States to become involved in peace efforts in order to guarantee future minority rights.
General Gun Maw, deputy commander in chief of the Kachin Independence Army and a member of the insurgents' main political committee, said he made the request to US officials during a visit to the United States that began last week.
Gun Maw, thought to be the most senior KIA official ever to visit Washington, said the invitation was first extended to the United States, Britain, China and the United Nations in February last year.
"This trip, I reaffirmed that invitation," Gun Maw told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
"We would like to have the US present at the peace process as a witness, so this agreement will become strong," he said. "At present, we are still asking the US to be involved. Whether they will be, we don't know yet."
The Kachin are due to hold another round of talks with the Myanmar government in May aimed at ending nearly three years of fighting. A 17-year ceasefire broke down in June 2011.
After meeting Gun Maw last week, US Assistant Secretary of State of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski said he had expressed "firm US support for the post-ceasefire peace process, which will have to tackle long unresolved political grievances."
"The balance between central and local authority, inclusion for all in national and local political processes, constitutional reform, equitable sharing of natural resources, and humanitarian access to internally displaced people are just a few of the issues that must be negotiated in good faith for a ceasefire to lead to durable peace," he said.
Gun Maw said that since fighting resumed in 2011, the KIA had suffered more than 1,000 casualties, including 280 killed.
"The fighting and attacks continue from the Burma (Myanmar) army," he said. "It's not because of fighting that political dialogue doesn't take place, it's because of a lack of political dialogue that fighting takes place."
