The Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) leaders will not attend the upcoming NCCT organised ethnic armed organisations’ (EAO) Conference, in Law-Khi-Lar, Karen State from 2 to 6 June.
Colonel Sai Hla, an RCSS spokesperson said: “At our [central committee] meeting at our headquarters we decided that we will not be able to attend the [EAO leaders’] meeting because we are busy. That is why we have sent them a letter saying we cannot attend.”
The conference will be the fourth EAO conference organised by the NCCT, which is an alliance of 16 EAOs that negotiates with the Burmese government. This forthcoming conference will be held at the Karen National Union (KNU) headquarters in Law-Khi-Lar.
The three previous NCCT organised EAO conferences were held in Laiza, Kachin State in October 2013 and July 2014 and in Law-Khi-Lar in January 2014.
At the upcoming Law-Khi-Lar conference the participants will discuss the final draft of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), which was previously signed by five NCCT leaders.
They will also discuss what was agreed at the Pansang ethnic leaders’ conference, a meeting of 12 EAO leaders organised by the UWSA at their headquarters in Pansang from 1 to 6 May.
If all the participants are in agreement they will sign the final version of the NCA.
Other topics of discussion will include drawing up a framework for political dialogue and how to increase unity between EAOs.
Though the RCSS is not a member of the NCCT, it is a KNU ally.
At least three to five leaders and two observers from 22 ethnic groups have been invited to participate in the EAO leaders’ conference.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
