The Karen National Union (KNU) and the New Mon State Party (NMSP) are working together to hold meetings with local people in two places where clashes between armed units of the KNU and NMSP have recently taken place.
Both parties agreed to make efforts to restore a peaceful environment in Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite, a predominantly Mon village and Tee Wadoh village, a predominantly Karen village. Meetings in each community took place on October 28th and 29th.
According to the KNU, Win Yaw Township Chair, Padoh Saw Maung Shwe “We have explained about the history of our revolution. Throughout our evolutionary journey until our victory, we must have unity to deal with the military dictatorship and chauvinistic practices that have been oppressing our fellow ethnic people.”
The village meetings provided clarification of the four commitments the KNU-NMSP leaders have made dating back to 1947.
“Both sides have already negotiated. We have informed the local people that the situation has calmed down at the moment, and the displaced people are returning home,” said the NMSP-Three Pagodas Pass (TPP) chair Nai Arkar.
Others who joined the village meetings included, the KNU-Win Yaw Township Chair, Padoh Saw Maung Shwe, Lt-Col Saw Shwe Win, the Commander of Battalion 16, the Commander of Battalion 16, KNU’s Deputy Liaison Officer Saw Ad-Da-Wat and Saw Htoo Htoo and NMSP Battalion 5 Commander Lt-Col M. Seik Chan, NMSP-Three Pagoda Pass Secretary Nai Win Sein (Sein Sein), and Township committee member Nai Dar.
“We have cleared away the bombs that have not yet exploded. We have arranged for local people who are taking refuge in Tai Ta Ya Monastery to go back to their homes. Both sides have withdrawn troops from the areas [Ba-Leh-Doon-Pite and Tee Wadoh villages]. No one with a military uniform is allowed in the area. The situation in the area is gradually settling down,” Nai Arkar noted.
Four clashes broke out in Ye Township and Three Pagoda Pass area between October 17th to 23rd, involving lower-level soldiers of the Karen National Union (KNU) and New Mon State Party (NMSP). The clashes left two dead, including one civilian.
