Mawlamyine, May (11)
The military council issued a statement on May 9 that the path to dialogue with all ethnic armed organizations, including the Karen National Union (KNU), is still open, and that the dialogue under the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) can achieve sustainable peace.
After criticizing the statement of the 17th Congress of the Karen National Union (KNU), the military council again offered negotiation talks under the NCA.
After the 17th Congress, the KNU headquarters announced on May 5 that KNU will fight against military dictatorship and cooperate with ethnic revolutionary forces, democratic forces, and the masses who are fighting for the emergence of a federal democratic union, democracy, national equality, and the right to self-determination.
The National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee stated that KNU’s statement is not constructive, is against the terms of the NCA agreement, and is leading to confrontation.
Currently, daily battles are taking place between the junta forces and the KNLA/KNDO joint forces in the KNU-administered area, with the junta conducting airstrikes and heavy artillery fire and, on the one hand, the military council is inviting the KNU to peace talks.
A member of the KNU Central Committee, Padoh Saw Kale Sae, responded that there is no reason to accept the military council’s invitation for peace talks and that they will continue to follow the policy and mission of the KNU. He added, “The military council’s peace call is not compatible with our political direction and cannot fulfill our expectations. We did not accept his peace call either”.
According to the military council, the current insecurity is only a conflict generated by partisan, personal, and foreign provocations, and the path leading to a confrontational armed conflict may pose significant challenges for the entire population.
The Spokesperson Salai Htet Ni of the Chin National Front (CNF), which is fighting fiercely with the junta army, responded that the Spring Revolution was not caused by partisanship and personal faith, but by a military coup, and that the regime’s call for peace was unacceptable.
He said, NCA is the military’s puppet-style peace call. We have already abolished the 2008 Constitution, so there is no reason to accept their peace offer.
While the military regime is calling for all ethnic armed organizations to hold peace talks again, they have been conducting offensives in the ethnic areas of the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Chin National Army (CAN)/ Chin National Front (CNF).
Military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, vowed to take decisive action against some ethnic armed groups that support the NUG and PDF in his speech marking the 78th Armed Forces Day on March 27, but more than a month later, he extended an invitation to peace talks to all ethnic armed groups, including the KNU.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo-KNU