The Chin Youth Network issued a statement on 4 October demanding that the Burma Army immediately halts all of its offensives in ethnic areas, particularly Kachin, Shan and Karen States.
The statement also called for a federal democratic union in the future and everlasting peace.
Since early September there has been a resumption of fighting between the Burma Army and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (Splinter DKBA), a group that splintered from the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and between the Burma Army and Kachin Independence Organisation/Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA).
Recently skirmishes also broke out between the Burma Army and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), who have signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA).
One child died and two others were seriously injured in Pu Wang Village in Mongko Township, northern Shan State. Thousands of people have also been forced to flee their homes due to fighting.
The Chin Youth Network said that the Burmese Government’s failure to take action or even release statements when fighting resumed in ethnic areas following the Union Peace Conference (21st Century Panglong Conference) and the complete lack of discussions in parliament about the fighting in ethnic areas would hinder the building of a federal democratic union in the future.
They also said that the fighting has damaged the trust and unity that the public and ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) have towards the implementation of the peace process.
They called on the Burmese Government to form an investigative committee to look into and take action over innocent civilian deaths caused by the Burma Army’s offensives and urged the Burma Army to halt all its offensives throughout the country if it truly wants peace.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
