On a trip to China this month, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's ex-political prisoner turned de facto leader, outlined her greatest ambition for her country: "To achieve peace and unity among the different peoples of our union."

On Wednesday that process begins with the opening of the Union Peace Conference, a major event aimed at ending decades of violence between the Myanmar Army and various ethnic armed groups that has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

It is the biggest challenge yet for Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy Party since their landslide election victory last November. Conflicts continue across the country and, according to the UN, 240,000 people have been displaced by violence in the past five years.

Adding to these problems, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in central Myanmar on Wednesday killed several people and damaged dozens of ancient structures dotting the plains of Bagan.

Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw walks in Naypyitaw, the country's capital. He is a longtime confidant of Aung San Suu Kyi. (Aung Shine Oo/Associated Press) Considerable weight is being thrown behind the five-day summit. More than 1,600 participants will converge on Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw for the first day, and UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon will deliver an opening speech.

The conference has support from the international community. Perhaps most notable is China, not only because Myanmar's neighbour is its most important economic partner, but also because many of the ethnic groups occupy territory along the China-Myanmar border and some, such as the United Wa State Army, were once armed by Beijing.

"This the grand opening," U Zaw Htay, deputy director general in the office of Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw, told CBC News. "It is the very first step of uniting the country. It the first important step on the road of political dialogue."

But the Union Peace Conference, commonly known as the 21st Century Panglong conference, faces a difficult journey.

Ethnic fracture lines

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is divided into eight main ethnicities and further split into 135 ethnic groups. Many of these ethnicities have been demanding greater autonomy since Myanmar achieved independence from the British nearly 70 years ago.

Indeed, the conference, orchestrated by Suu Kyi, will see the Nobel peace laureate follow in the footsteps of her father, independence hero General Aung San.

A family rides a motorbike on Aug. 26 past a billboard for the Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. The conference seeks to end decades of armed conflict among ethnic groups. (Associated Press) The original Panglong conference in 1947 secured the support of three ethnic groups in joining a united country and was a key step in securing independence.

The general was assassinated several months later, without seeing independence achieved in 1948. However, successive governments have gone back on their promises of self-determination. The result has been decades of sporadic conflicts.

International human rights organizations have documented abuses on both sides of these conflicts, but in particular allegations against the Myanmar Army include extrajudicial killings, rape and torture.

Army admits killing 5 villagers

The army, also known as the Tatmadaw, regularly rejects such allegations, though last month it did admit its soldiers had killed five villagers during an interrogation in the restive northern Shan state.

Military personnel clear debris on Aug. 25 at a temple damaged by a strong earthquake in Bagan, Myanmar. The quake damaged nearly 200 temples in the ancient city, famous for its historic Buddhist pagodas. (Associated Press) Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, told CBC News, "The Tatmadaw's crimes, and the failure of any Burma government to hold them accountable for those rights abuses, is the biggest single factor that fosters mistrust between the government and the ethnic groups, and until this is resolved, it's hard to see how these talks will ultimately succeed."

Other concerns have been raised about the peace process, such as the lack of women involved.

On Monday Yanghee Lee, the UN's special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, said, "Unfortunately, women will be underrepresented in the coming discussions despite making up over half of the population in Myanmar."

Robertson adds, "Far too often, Aung San Suu Kyi is the only woman in the room, and that needs to change for a culture of human rights and peace to take hold and end the abuses of the past."

The conference is hailed as ethnically inclusive, however. Last year the previous military-backed government orchestrated a ceasefire agreement that was criticized in some quarters because only eight of 15 invited ethnic armed groups signed up.

For this conference all 21 ethnic armed groups were invited, although three were later barred because they refused to release a statement signalling their intent to lay down arms.

A woman walks past a damaged pagoda on Aug. 25, a day after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in central Myanmar killed several people and damaged dozens of ancient structures. (Reuters)

For many of those caught in the crossfire, their concerns are the ongoing violence that has kept them from their homes. On Monday, the Myanmar Army was reported to have attacked one ethnic armed group, the Shan State Army.

Last week, the Myanmar Army used artillery and helicopter gunships to pound positions near the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army, another ethnic armed group.

In a tea shop in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, Zing Hkang Pri told CBC News why she does not believe the peace process will bring change.

The 55-year-old fled her home in Gin Si village with her children in 2012, after a bomb landed 1.5 metres from her home. She now lives in a crowded camp for internally displaced people in Myitkyina.

"I don't have confidence in the peace process," she says. "People talk about peace, but there is still fighting in my village."

This week, Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest at the hands of Myanmar's military junta, begins the process that she hopes will prove Zing Hkang Pri and other doubters wrong and finally bring peace to her country.</s>NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) — Hundreds of representatives of Myanmar's ethnic tribes gathered Wednesday in the country's capital for historic peace talks with the government aimed at ending decades of separatist insurgencies that have claimed thousands of lives.

The delegates, dressed in traditional garb and headgear, streamed into a conference hall in Naypyitaw for the five-day talks called by the new government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Although her title is state counsellor she is seen as the country's real leader.

Suu Kyi, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the head of armed forces Gen. Min Aung Hlaing are scheduled to give speeches at the opening of the talks to determine the fate of the country's various ethnic minorities, who make up about 40 percent of the population.

"All our people around the country want peace. So I do believe we will be successful in getting it at the conference," said Khun Than Myint, the facilitator of the meeting, whose official title is Union Peace Conference -- 21st Century Panglong.

This is a reference to the Panglong Agreement brokered in 1947 by Suu Kyi's late father, independence hero Gen. Aung San, in a town called Panglong. This week's conference is being attended by 17 of the 20 main armed groups, including the Karen, Kachin, Shan and Wa, along with other stakeholders.

The 1947 deal granted ethnic minorities autonomy and the right to secede if they worked with the federal government to break away from Britain together. Aung San was assassinated the following year and the deal fell apart. Since then, ethnic groups have accused successive, mostly military, governments of failing to honor the 1947 pact, just before Myanmar gained independence from Britain the next year.

The first uprising — launched by ethnic Karen insurgents — began shortly after independence. Since then other ethnic groups have also taken up arms.

Skirmishes, particularly in northern zones where Kachin insurgents are fighting the army, have displaced more than 100,000 civilians since 2011 alone. At least 100,000 more have sought refuge in squalid camps in neighboring Thailand, and are unlikely to return home until true peace takes hold.

The rebel armies control a patchwork of remote territories rich in jade and timber that are located mostly in the north and east along the borders with China and Thailand. They represent various ethnic groups that for decades have been fighting for autonomy while resisting "Burmanization," a push by the Burman ethnic majority to propagate its language, religion and culture in ethnic minority regions.

Suu Kyi promised that bringing peace would be her top priority when her government assumed power earlier this year after decades of military rule. The previous military-backed government brokered individual truces with various insurgent groups and oversaw a cease-fire covering eight minor insurgencies last year that fell short of a nationwide deal.

"It is still too early to say" whether this Panglong conference is representative of the aspirations of all groups, said Khu Oo Reh, the spokesman of the United Nationalities and Federal Council, a group that represents all ethnic armed groups. "But we really hope that we can achieve real democracy and equality for all ethnic groups, and self-determination in our region."</s>Yangon (AP) – Peace talks aimed at ending more than half a century of conflict between Myanmar’s army and an array of armed ethnic rebel groups are due to start in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday.

The talks are the first formal peace negotiations since Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party swept elections last November and took office in April, vowing that national unity would be its top priority.

Suu Kyi is expected to address the five-day conference, along with the powerful head of the nation’s military, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and representatives of at least 17 of the 20 main armed groups. Hundreds of delegates are expected to attend.

The rebel armies control a patchwork of remote territories rich in jade and timber that are located mostly in the north and east along the borders with China and Thailand. They represent various ethnic groups that for decades have been fighting for autonomy while resisting “Burmanization,” a push by the Burman ethnic majority to propagate its language, religion and culture in ethnic minority regions.

A look at why this week’s meeting is significant:

Armed ethnic conflict has plagued Myanmar for decades. The first uprising — launched by ethnic Karen insurgents — began shortly after the country gained independence from Britain in 1948.

Restoring stability nationwide is crucial to Myanmar’s long-term political and economic health. Ethnic minorities make up about 40 percent of the population, and stability can’t be achieved without their support.

Fighting is not only bad for business, it’s a threat to the fragile democratic reform process that began in earnest when the military ceded some of its formal power to a nominally civilian government in 2011.

Skirmishes, particularly in northern zones where Kachin insurgents are fighting the army, have displaced more than 100,000 civilians since 2011 alone. At least 100,000 more have sought refuge in squalid camps in neighboring Thailand, and are unlikely to return home until true peace takes hold.

Suu Kyi promised that bringing peace would be her top priority when her government assumed power.

The previous military-backed government brokered individual truces with various insurgent groups and oversaw a cease-fire covering eight minor insurgencies last year that fell short of a nationwide deal.

Suu Kyi’s administration is hoping to build on those gains, but there are still skirmishes between the army and rebels, particularly in Kachin and Shan states.

WHO IS TAKING PART, AND WHO ISN’T

Suu Kyi said all ethnic armed groups would be invited to the talks, and most of the main rebel movements are taking part, including the Karen, Kachin, Shan and Wa ethnic groups.

At least three smaller groups are not: the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and the Arakan Army. The MNDAA, made up of ethnic Chinese Kokangs, waged fierce battles with the army in 2015 that displaced tens of thousands of people.

This week’s talks are called the “21st Century Panglong Conference,” a reference to the Panglong Agreement brokered in 1947 by Suu Kyi’s late father, independence hero Gen. Aung San.

The deal granted ethnic minorities autonomy and the right to secede if they worked with the federal government to break away from Britain together.

Aung San was assassinated the following year and the deal fell apart. Since then, ethnic groups have accused successive, mostly military governments of failing to honor the 1947 pact.

PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN THE NEAR TERM

Although the formal start of negotiations is a positive step, this week’s meeting is likely to be largely ceremonial, with discussions of contentious issues delayed until later rounds.

That has happened plenty of times before — including in January, when Suu Kyi met leaders of the ethnic groups a few months before taking office. An official representing a coalition of rebel groups, the United Nationalities Federal Council, called those talks “a meeting that led to constructive intentions for the future meeting.”

Some ethnic rebel groups have said they are not fully prepared for talks yet, and complained the government set the date without consulting them. It’s also not clear whether the handful of rebel groups not attending will join later; the ethnic minorities believe that only a comprehensive agreement including all can succeed.

Part of the problem is that distrust between ethnic groups and the army is profound, and the military has retained enormous influence even though Suu Kyi’s party has assumed nominal control of the government. Rebel representatives in Naypyitaw also said Tuesday that Suu Kyi was playing her cards close, and they could not clearly gauge her government’s stance.</s>Myanmar's Suu Kyi kicks off peace conference with appeal for unity

By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Antoni Slodkowski

NAYPYITAW, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi launched a major push to end decades of fighting between the military and myriad rebel groups with an appeal on Wednesday to the country's ethnic minorities to overcome their differences to achieve peace.

Suu Kyi has made the peace process a priority for her administration, which faces sky-high expectations at home and abroad after sweeping to power in an election last November to end more than half a century of military-backed rule.

Delegates in elaborate ethnic costumes, sporting silver necklaces and hats adorned with peacock feathers, mingled and took photographs with military officers, mainstream majority Bamar politicians and diplomats at the start of the conference.

"If all those who play a part ... in the peace process cultivate the wisdom to reconcile differing views for the good of the people ... we will surely be able to build the democratic federal union of our dreams," said Suu Kyi in her opening remarks.

"Only if we are all united, our country will be at peace. Only if our country is at peace, will we be able to stand on equal footing with other countries in our region and across the world."

Myanmar has been torn by fighting between the military, which seized power in a 1962 coup, and ethnic armed groups almost without a break since the end of the Second World War.

The focus on Wednesday was on the symbolic, with few concrete proposals likely to emerge from this week's talks.

Delegates expect to meet every six months to discuss issues ranging from security, political representation, language and culture to control of Myanmar's rich mineral resources.

"It's the Tatmadaw members and our brethren members of ethnic armed groups, who have been directly suffering from ... the lack of peace in the country, sacrificing their limbs and lives," said army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

"I firmly believe that we will be able to accomplish this great process with our unity and efforts."

Myanmar is home to more than a hundred ethnic groups with distinct traditions and cultures, and some representative performed a folk dance on the conference stage celebrating the Southeast Asian nation's ethnic diversity.

Among those absent from the conference, however, were any representatives of Myanmar's 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims, who face persecution and human rights abuses at the hands of their Buddhist neighbours in northwestern Rakhine State.

A day before the conference started, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Myanmar to improve the living conditions of the Rohingya, underscoring the challenges facing Suu Kyi in tackling all the country's ethnic divisions.

But the fact that Suu Kyi has been able to bring the vast majority of the rebel groups to the negotiating table only five months after taking power is a sign of progress, experts say.

Powerful armed groups from regions bordering China, including the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), who refused to sign a ceasefire last October under the previous military-backed government, are now taking part, partly owing to China's tacit support for the talks, observers say.

As Myanmar's economy opens up, China is vying for influence with the United States. President Xi Jinping pledged his country would play a "constructive role" in the peace process when Suu Kyi visited China this month.

Casting a shadow over the talks is a recent flare-up in fighting in northernmost Kachin State and clashes in northeastern Shan State, which is home to several large groups operating close to borders with China and Thailand. (Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun, Aye Win Myint and Timothhy Mclaughin; Editing by Alex Richardson)</s>NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar has a unique opportunity to end decades of ethnic rebellions in various parts of the country, leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Wednesday as she promised that her government will guarantee rebel groups equal rights and respect in historic peace talks.

Suu Kyi was speaking at the start of the five-day negotiations aimed at ending decades of separatist insurgencies that have claimed thousands of lives. The talks are being attended by representatives of 17 of the 20 major ethnic groups, including the Karen, Kachin, Shan and Wa, who make up 40 percent of the country's population.

"This is a unique opportunity for us to accomplish a great task that will stand as a landmark throughout our history," said Suu Kyi, whose official title is state counsellor although she is the real power in the government, above the president. "Let us grasp this magnificent opportunity with wisdom, courage and perseverance and create a future infused with light."

The peace talks are called Union Peace Conference -- 21st Century Panglong, a reference to the Panglong Agreement brokered in 1947 by Suu Kyi's late father, independence hero Gen. Aung San, in the town of Panglong, when Myanmar was still ruled by Britain.

The deal granted ethnic minorities autonomy and the right to secede if they worked with the federal government to break away from Britain together. But Aung San was assassinated the following year and the deal fell apart. Since then, ethnic groups have accused successive, mostly military, governments of failing to honor the 1947 pact.

The first uprising — launched by ethnic Karen insurgents — began shortly after independence. Since then other ethnic groups have also taken up arms with roughly the same aim -- to fight for autonomy while resisting "Burmanization," a push by the Burman ethnic majority to propagate its language, religion and culture in ethnic minority regions.

The rebel armies control a patchwork of remote territories rich in jade and timber that are located mostly in the north and east along the borders with China and Thailand.

Suu Kyi said her National League for Democracy party's aim has always been to hold political negotiations "based on the Panglong spirit and the principle of finding solutions through the guarantee of equal rights, mutual respect and mutual confidence between all ethnic nationalities."

"The government that emerged after the 2015 elections is determined to uphold the same principles," she said, referring to the landmark elections that brought the NLD to power after decades of military rule.

The previous military-backed government brokered individual truces with various insurgent groups and oversaw a cease-fire covering eight minor insurgencies last year that fell short of a nationwide deal.

Skirmishes, particularly in northern zones where Kachin insurgents are fighting the army, have displaced more than 100,000 civilians since 2011 alone. At least 100,000 more have sought refuge in squalid camps in neighboring Thailand, and are unlikely to return home until true peace takes hold.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the head of armed forces Gen. Min Aung Hlaing are also attending the conference.

"All our people around the country want peace. So I do believe we will be successful in getting it at the conference," said Khun Than Myint, the facilitator of the meeting.

"It is still too early to say" whether this Panglong conference is representative of the aspirations of all groups, said Khu Oo Reh, the spokesman of the United Nationalities and Federal Council, a group that represents all ethnic armed groups. "But we really hope that we can achieve real democracy and equality for all ethnic groups, and self-determination in our region."</s>Ethnic peace talks seek to pave new path for Myanmar

Peace talks between Myanmar's government and warring ethnic minorities open Wednesday seeking to end decades of bloodshed and bring investment to Southeast Asia's poorest country.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will give the opening address to hundreds of rebel leaders, lawmakers and military top brass gathered in the capital Naypyidaw.

Aung San Suu Kyi's freshly minted government is seeking to reshape Myanmar as a federal democracy as the country emerges from decades of oppressive military rule.

The Nobel laureate has made bridging the ethnic fault lines that have fractured the country since independence a priority of her newly minted government, which took power in March.

The outcome could breathe new life into Myanmar's economy as it struggles to emerge from half a century of exploitation and mismanagement by the former junta.

China, India and the West are vying for a share of the vast reserves of jade, tin and prized teak wood in its borderlands that have fuelled conflict with ethnic groups.

"Without peace there can be no sustained development," Suu Kyi said during a recent trip to Beijing seeking support for the talks.

Wednesday's meeting comes almost 70 years after her father, independence hero Aung San, signed a landmark agreement to devolve powers to some ethnic groups after independence.

The deal collapsed after he was assassinated, before Myanmar broke from Britain in 1948, but many hope Suu Kyi can revive that spirit at this week's '21st Century Panglong' conference.

Still, few expect the coming days to be anything more than an opening salvo in a peace process that could take years.

Fresh fighting in Kachin and Shan states in the run up to the talks have shattered hopes for a unilateral ceasefire the organisers have been pushing.

Several rebel groups have failed to down weapons -- a precondition for them to attend -- and remain wary of the ethnic-Bamar central authorities.

Suu Kyi's party, also Bamar, got surprisingly strong support from minority communities in November's elections, winning around a third of the vote.

But privately, government negotiators say they are hamstrung by working with the army, which still controls borders, defence and a quarter of parliament seats.

Distrust of the Tatmadaw, as it is known, runs deep among minorities after decades of oppression, marked by torture, rape and mass killings.

Some 220,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in Kachin, northern Shan and western Rakhine states, according to UN figures released this week.

The conference has nevertheless been hailed as an important first step and one loaded with symbolism in a nation emerging from a dark military past.

Ban described the conference as "an important first step" toward peace at a press conference on the eve of the talks.

"The steps you have taken towards national reconciliation need to be further strengthened, broadened and consolidated," he told reporters.</s>By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Antoni Slodkowski

NAYPYITAW, Aug 30 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Myanmar to improve living conditions for its Rohingya Muslim minority on Tuesday, ahead of peace talks between leader Aung San Suu Kyi and many of the country's ethnic armed rebel groups.

Myanmar's 1.1 million Rohingya will not be represented at the conference starting on Wednesday, but the fact Ban raised their plight - and used the term for the group that is divisive in Myanmar - may add to international pressure on Suu Kyi to address the issue.

"The government has assured me about its commitment to address the roots of the problem," Ban told a news conference in the capital Naypyitaw.

"Like all people everywhere, they need and deserve a future, hope and dignity. This is not just a question of the Rohingya community's right to self-identity."

Ban and Suu Kyi met reporters as the Nobel Peace Prize laureate launched a push to end decades of fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic rebels.

Suu Kyi has made the peace process a priority for her administration, which faces sky-high expectations at home and abroad after sweeping to power in an election last November to end more than half a century of military-backed rule.

Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims in western Myanmar, however, are not being tackled as part of that process.

Many in the Buddhist majority country regard the largely stateless Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and they are not among the 135 ethnic groups recognised by law. Suu Kyi has asked foreign diplomats and leaders not to use the term "Rohingya" because in her view it is inflammatory.

Some 120,000 Rohingya remain displaced in squalid "internally displaced persons" (IDP) camps since fighting erupted in Rakhine state between Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Thousands have fled persecution and poverty.

"I conveyed the concern of the international community about tens of thousands of people who have been living in very poor conditions in IDP camps for over four years," said Ban.

He added that if they had lived in the country for generations, all people in Myanmar should enjoy the same legal status and citizenship as everyone else. Many Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for that long.

Last week Suu Kyi picked former U.N. chief Kofi Annan to lead a commission to stop human rights abuses in Rakhine.

Few concrete proposals are to emerge from this week's talks, with delegates expecting to meet every six months to discuss issues ranging from security, political representation and culture to sharing the fruits of Myanmar's mineral riches.

The gathering has been compared to the Panglong Conference, a meeting between Suu Kyi's father, Myanmar's national hero General Aung San, and ethnic minorities in 1947 that led to the formation of the Union of Burma after independence from Britain.

"The 21st Century Panglong conference is a promising first step," said Ban. "I congratulate all participants for their patience, determination and spirit of compromise."

The fact that Suu Kyi has been able to bring the vast majority of the rebels to the negotiating table only five months after taking power is a sign of progress, experts say.

Powerful armed groups from regions bordering China, who refused to sign a ceasefire last October under the previous military-backed government, are now set to take part, partly owing to China's tacit support for the talks.

As Myanmar's economy opens up, China is vying for influence with the United States. President Xi Jinping pledged his country would play a "constructive role" in the peace process when Suu Kyi visited China this month.

Suu Kyi is travelling to Washington in September where she is likely to face questions on the treatment of the Rohingya.

Myanmar has been torn by fighting between the military, which seized power in the 1962 coup, and ethnic armed groups almost without a break since the end of the Second World War.

Casting a shadow over the talks is a recent flare-up in fighting in northernmost Kachin State and clashes in northeastern Shan State, which is home to several large groups operating close to borders with China and Thailand.

The still-powerful military has also strongly opposed talks with three groups that fought it in the remote Kokang area last year unless they disarm. The groups have said they cannot, citing continued pressure from the army. It was unclear whether they would be allowed to attend the summit.

Ethnic delegates have complained about what they saw as an arbitrary schedule set by the government.

Suu Kyi, who said little at Tuesday's joint appearance with Ban, has not consulted the groups about the date of the conference or the specific agenda, diplomats familiar with the situation said.

"I will do my best to let all ethnic leaders attend tomorrow's conference," said Suu Kyi. "It's their own decision whether they attend or not." (Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun and Aye Win Myint; Editing by Alex Richardson)</s>Delegates from one of Myanmar's most heavily armed ethnic groups stormed out of peace talks on Thursday in an early blow to a landmark gathering aimed at ushering in a new era of peace.

The five-day conference in the capital Naypyidaw has been hailed as the best chance in a generation for Myanmar to end wars that have raged for up to 70-years, claiming thousands of lives and keeping the country mired in poverty.

Among the militias attending is the powerful 20,000-strong United Wa State Army.

They stopped fighting the government years back in exchange for control of a remote portion of territory bordering China which is now a notorious drug manufacturing hub.

They had originally refused to make this week's talks, arguing they signed their own ceasefire with the previous military government back in 1989.

But they eventually agreed to attend following discussions last month with de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and after pressure was applied by China, which retains significant influence over the group.

Yet on day two of the talks four USWA delegates walked out, officials said, reportedly after being told they could not address the gathering.

Government peace negotiator Khin Zaw Oo told reporters the Wa had been given observer badges, instead of ones allowing them to speak, angering their delegation.

But he played down their departure, saying it was a "misunderstanding" that could be solved.

"This is a misunderstanding," he said. "Our committee will go and meet them if they are here (in Naypyidaw). We will negotiate."

A spokesman for the militia told the Democratic Voice of Burma they had left after being told they were only accredited as observers, calling it discrimination.

But Lian Hmung Sahkong, from the Chin National Front, another ethnic group at the talks, denied the Wa faced discrimination.

"We give equal rights to them and gave them a front row seat. I would like to confirm again that we did what they demanded," he said.

Several complex ethic conflicts are rumbling across Myanmar's borderlands, hampering efforts to build the country's economy after the end of junta rule.

Many militias have grown rich from trafficking drugs, illegal gems and timber while deep seated distrust remains among ethnic minorities of the country's notorious military which ruled for decades with an iron fist.

Suu Kyi wants to convene a meeting to thrash out the precepts of greater federal autonomy for ethnic groups in exchange for peace.

While they have not fought against the military for years, the Wa are accused of producing and trafficking huge amounts of methamphetamine and heroin from their secretive holdout and buying weapons with the proceeds.

During a visit by Suu Kyi to Beijing earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to support Myanmar's peace process, comments that were widely perceived to be a boost for her new administration's attempts to bring the Wa into the peace process.</s>Myanmar's delicate peace process: four things to know

After almost 70 years of violence, Myanmar's new civilian government is holding a major conference this week aimed at brokering peace with ethnic groups that have fought the state since its birth.

Here are four things to know about the talks:

- What are the talks about? -

Since its 1948 independence from British colonial rule, Myanmar has been locked in simmering warfare with a diverse cast of ethnic rebels fighting for control over their lands.

By getting all the main players to the table -- rebel leaders, lawmakers and the top army brass -- Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi hopes to reshape the former military dictatorship as a federal democracy.

The conference is also personal for the nobel laureate.

Suu Kyi is looking to channel the spirit of a 1947 agreement signed by her independence hero father that granted autonomy to several ethnic minority states.

This week's peace summit has been dubbed the '21st Century Panglong' in reference to that deal, which fell apart after Suu Kyi's father was assassinated, but which remains the closest modern Myanmar has come to being a unified state.

- Why are they happening now? -

Suu Kyi has stressed that peace is vital to the political and economic revival she hopes will take root in a nation pummelled by 50 years of military repression.

Many people in conflict zones live in grinding poverty, despite the rich reserves of jade and tin, and huge forests of prized teak wood that cover their lands.

Control over these lucrative resources lies at the heart of many of the battles, and could be further complicated as foreign businesses pile into the emerging nation, seeking a slice of the pie.

- What are the main roadblocks? -

After decades of fighting and tortuous debate, it is still unclear what a federal Myanmar would look like.

Several insurgent groups refused to commit to eventual disarmament ahead of the conference, as demanded by the military, while others are still actively locked in combat with state troops.

The army's legacy of brutal warfare and repression has left many ethnic minorities wary of the generals, who still control powerful branches of the government and economy.

Many fear the Tatmadaw, as the Myanmar army is known, will renege on any deal that hurts its interests.

Meanwhile, some powerful rebel militias that run the lawless border regions, have shown little interest in any deal.

- What are the wider repercussions? -

Ending the fighting would not only be an extraordinary feat for the fledgling democracy, but a significant step towards opening up Myanmar's poor but fast-growing economy.

A peace deal could pave the way for foreign players to bring billions of dollars in aid to the conflict zones and provide the basic services now lacking in many areas.

Peace would also open up the north of the country to regional behemoth China, which has been pushing several vast energy and infrastructure projects.

But this might be a double-edged sword.

The concern is that many of these, particularly planned hydroelectric dams in Kachin and Shan states, could devastate local communities and severely damage the environment.

Some ethnic minorities also fear their culture and traditions could be further eroded by the mainly ethnic Bamar central authorities.</s>NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Myanmar on Tuesday that the world is very concerned about the tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who have been living for more than four years in camps in northern Rakhine state after fleeing violence from the Buddhist majority.

"They deserve hope," Ban said at a joint news conference with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. "All of Myanmar's people, of every ethnicity and background, should be able to live in equality and harmony, side by side with their neighbors."

Ban is in Myanmar to attend peace talks aimed at ending half a century of conflict between the government and the country's many armed ethnic minority groups. The talks begin Wednesday in Naypyitaw, the capital. About 2,000 delegates and guests are expected to attend the opening ceremony.

Suu Kyi, who leads Myanmar with the title of state counselor and is also foreign minister, said, "We are doing what we can to make sure that all groups can attend, but to attend or not is up to them."

Ban also said there is a "heightened expectation" of faster progress under Suu Kyi's leadership on issues facing the country, and that the international community and Myanmar's government should work together to overcome them.

He spoke of the country's remarkable journey from military dictatorship toward democracy, but warned too of the many challenges Myanmar faces, including the plight of the Rohingya Muslims.

More than 100,000 Rohingya have been living in unsanitary camps since fleeing their homes in Rakhine state starting in 2012, following deadly violence driven largely by Buddhist mobs. Many Buddhists view Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even though many have been living in Myanmar for generations.

Even the word "Rohingya" is extremely controversial in Myanmar, though Ban used it without hesitation during the brief news conference. Suu Kyi's government has said it would rather that the term "Muslims in Rakhine" be used.

While saying he understood the need for patience in tackling the problem, Ban reiterated that the international community is concerned about the Rohingya's situation. He commended the government for setting up a special advisory commission on the situation in Rakhine state that will be chaired by Ban's predecessor, Kofi Annan. It is to convene for the first time next week in Yangon.

This is Ban's fifth visit to Myanmar.
Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi holds historic peace talks to end decades of ethnic conflict in the country.