Leaders of the eight ethnic armed organizations led by Gen Mutu Say Poe will try to hold an informal discussion with the State Counsellor and the Tatmadaw leaders to solve the obstacles in the implementation of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) and hold the 21st Century Panglong Conference.
“We have agreed to discuss with the government and the Tatmadaw because we need to reach an agreement with both sides to overcome this issue. We will try to meet with them as soon as we can,” said P’doh Saw Kwel Htoo Win, vice-chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU).
The leaders of the eight EAOs said a five-member delegation led by the KNU’s chairman Gen Mutu Say Poe has made preparations to meet with the heads of state.
In a statement released on January 12 after the two-day meeting of the eight EAOs’ Peace Process Steering Team (PPST), the PPST said it will continue the discussions concerning differences of the basic understandings in order to make the NCA implementation successful.
The PPST leaders said they will try to meet with the government and the Tatmadaw leaders as soon as possible to discuss the difficulties in implementing the NCA.
“It’s important for us to walk on the same path for the NCA. It’s important for both the government and we to have clear understandings on the NCA. We need to be patient in discussing with the government and look forward to the interest of our country and its people,” said Daw Saw Mra Razar Lin, member of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)’s central executive committee.
In the statement, the PPST said it will reach settlements with the country’s leaders on the issues of disregard and obstruction against political dialogues and public consultations, which need to be carried out under the NCA implementation process.
The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) has also recently requested a meeting with the government and the Tatmadaw leaders but the government has not responded to their request.
Network Media Group has been unable to contact the officials from the government’s Peace Commission to inquire about these requests to hold the discussion.
The Karen National Union (KNU), the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council (KNU/KNLA – PC), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan Shan Army - South (RCSS/SSA-S), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), and the Chin National Front (CNF) signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement in 2015.
