With the aim to build trust and a peaceful environment for the Karen and Mon people to live together, the Karen National Union (KNU) and the New Mon State Party (NMSP) released a joint statement on October 23rd. However, armed fighting between the two groups continues.

Leaders from KNU’s Duplaya District Brigade 6 came to an agreement with the NMSP and released a joint statement that both sides will instruct their lower-level troops to prevent further clashes, and any on-going disputes should be carried out through negotiation, not by force.

However, just a few hours after the statement was released, the KNU attacked an NMSP Ngar-Kalay-Chaung base located in the eastern part of Ye Township, resulting in one casualty.

“The KNU group attacked our base. The fighting lasted for 10 minutes, and one of our soldiers was killed at 4.p.m.,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nyan Tun, a secretary with the NMSP Dawei district.

A day after leaders from the NMSP and KNU’s Brigade 6 discussed how to reduce further conflicts, another clash broke out at the outskirts of the Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite village. Fighting continued for 30 minutes resulting in another casualty from the KNU armed group.

Both leaders from the KNU and NMSP visited Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite village where the clash took place on October 22nd. They have sorted out a territorial boundaries dispute between Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite village and Tee Wadoh village. They also set out rules prohibiting individuals from wearing military uniforms and prohibiting the movement of armed forces in the area.

Civilians are being encouraged to report to their respective village heads if they witness movement of any armed groups in the area.

After the death of a NMSP military member, tensions between the two groups has been growing.

Both Mon and Karen villagers from Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite and Tee Wadoh villages have been displaced.

It is believed the conflicts began because of the placement of a KNU flag in front of the NMSP sub-military base located in, Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite.