Over 100 political and social organizations yesterday released a joint statement after a political talk titled “ Arakan State’s affairs is the matter of the Union of Myanmar” held in Yangon, demanding the Tatmadaw to stop waging war across Myanmar including Arakan State.

They said that the AA also needs to declare a ceasefire. They also requested the government and the Tatmadaw to immediately designate Mrauk-U region as war free zone.

The joint statement denounced the Tatmadaw’s activities of putting pressure on ethnic armed groups to surrender by using force, cracking down on ethnic armed groups by using all its troops from the army, navy and air force and carrying out extrajudicial executions on Arakanese people.

The Tatmadaw is not impartial because it excluded Arakan State in declaring and extending its unilateral ceasefire, they said in the joint statement.

They are concerned for the daily suffering of Arakanese People and see that all ethnic people including Arakanese are engaging in an armed struggle for democratization and equal rights.

“It needs to accept the fact that the ongoing conflicts occur due to a difference of opinions and all opposing sides need to come together as quickly as possible to find a solution that’s mutually acceptable. Only through productive and agreeable negotiations can all sides find common ground on issues that are essential for the whole country’s welfare such as equality, freedom, mutual respect and justice,” the statement said.

They urged to reach an agreement for a cease fire by negotiating through as many different bureaucratic channels as possible so all relevant parties can participate as well, including the NCA and the 21st Century Panglong Conference.

They also suggested to find a solution that would be amiable between the government, the Tatmadaw, ethnic armed groups, political parties, CSOs and religious leaders. In addition, the media sector should be granted greater freedom of expression in order to communicate news more thoroughly.

The Arakan League for Democracy, United Nationalities Alliance and Democratic Party for a New Society were just some of the organizations that issued the joint statement.

The skirmishes between the Tatmadaw and the AA in Arakan State have been intensifying since December 2018, they have claimed many fatalities that have been struck by artillery shells as well as people injured or killed by stray bullets or being unduly detained for questioning.