Some ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) will likely attend a second round of peace talks invited by Myanmar’s military junta, the regime spokesman said at a press conference in Naypyidaw on Tuesday.
“Some ethnic armed groups are preparing to come and discuss with us. There are some delays as they are holding meetings within their groups, selecting delegates, and preparing topics for discussion,” said the spokesman, Major-General Zaw Min Tun.
He did not, however, reveal the names of the ethnic armed groups that are expected to attend the peace talks.
The regime previously asked any EAOs wishing to join the second round of talks to register their interest by June 30.
The Karen National Union (KNU) and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have said they will not attend the peace talks. The Arakan Army (AA), whose relationship with the regime has been particularly rocky of late, said it would wait and see if the proposed peace talks are genuine.
U Aung Thaung Shwe, a former lawmaker for Arakan State’s Buthidaung Township, said the junta needs to be open and honest in its approach to any forthcoming peace talks, and must take the interests of the country into consideration.
“The Myanmar military talks about peace, but when implementing the word ‘peace,’ there is no truth and honesty. The Myanmar military says one thing and does another, and that’s why armed conflicts broke out,” the ex-legislator added.
On April 22, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing invited face-to-face talks with the leaders of the country’s EAOs in an ostensible bid to end armed conflict in the country, calling 2022 “the Year of Peace.”
Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun on Tuesday noted that the regime has so far held peace talks with nine ethnic armed groups — seven signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and three non-signatories.
Arrangements are being made for the second round of peace talks with any remaining ethnic armed groups that are interested, he added.
More than a year after the military seized power in a February 2021 coup, fighting continues between the regime and anti-junta forces including several EAOs and other armed resistance groups that have formed in response to the putsch.
