Myanmar Signs Cease-Fire With Armed Groups Before Vote

Myanmar’s government signed a cease-fire agreement with half of the nation’s armed ethnic groups, a partial victory for President Thein Sein less than a month before an historic national election.

In a nationally televised ceremony, representatives of eight of the 15 rebel groups invited to take part took turns walking to the stage to sign the agreement in Naypyidaw as songs about peace played in the background. The crowd of politicians, civil society groups and foreign diplomats applauded each time a group signed the deal.