Myanmar’s military regime on Monday extended its unilateral ceasefire through the end of the year, with the declaration roundly criticised as being worth little more than the letterhead it is printed on.
The extension was issued “with the aim of restoring the perpetual peace across the nation, enhancing the peace process, and effectively carrying out the prevention, control and treatment activities of COVID-19 pandemic throughout the nation,” according to an English-language translation of the order published in state media.
The order included a major caveat, saying it applied “except the period when security and administrative mechanism of the State were encroached and attacked in addition to defence and administrative issues of the State in the entire nation.”
Critics were quick to point out that there was no substantive ceasefire to be extended, given that the Myanmar military has stepped up attacks against ethnic armed organisations and the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF) since it seized power in a coup on February 1, 2021.
Political analyst U Than Soe Naing called the statement a sham.
“The military regime has been conducting operations in ethnic areas like Karenni [Kayah] State and the Chin hills,” he told DMG. “While flying the flag of peace in one hand, the regime is continuously firing arms with the other. No armed group or organisation has trust in [the military] because its ceasefire announcements have been empty promises both before and after the coup.”
Arakanese politician and former lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe said the Myanmar military’s latest ceasefire announcement had the same hollow ring to it as past declarations.
“They [the military] did the same when there were many clashes in Arakan State,” he said. “They are doing the same now. It is something of a ritual, and nothing more than that. People have no trust in them because of what they have done in the past. And revolutions and clashes happen due to the lack of trust.”
In October, the regime announced a five-month ceasefire extension, through the end of February. However, clashes have only intensified between regime troops and resistance forces in many parts of the country, including Kachin, Chin, and Kayin states, and Sagaing Region.
