The second-in-command of the Myanmar military announced yesterday that ethnic armed groups that sign the National Ceasefire Agreement will not be required to relinquish their weapons.
“Some ethnic armed groups misunderstand the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), thinking it requires them to give up their arms,” said Deputy Commander-in-Chief Vice Senior General Soe Win during a coordination meeting.
“I want the leaders from the groups that have signed the NCA to explain this point to the people from non-NCA groups who have misunderstood this or who pretend not to understand it,” he said.
Though it doesn’t mention relinquishing arms, the NCA does require signatories to “avoid building new military bases and supplying of ammunition and weaponry.”
The Myanmar government under State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has been struggling to expand the membership of the NCA through the 21st Century Panglong Conference series.
The first part of the conference was held late August and early September 2016. The second round was initially announced for February 2017 but has been postponed twice. The talks are now expected to resume on May 24.
The government is now focusing on getting five key ethnic armed groups – the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Arakan National Congress (ANC), the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) and Wa National Organization (WNO) – to sign the NCA as soon as possible. The latter three groups control no territory and are not militarily active.
During his speech yesterday, Vice Senior General Soe Win said the terms of the NCA would not be changed to accommodate groups that have been hesitant to sign or that the government has not invited to sign.
“The Tatmadaw already has policies for the peace process, and the NCA has terms and conditions. And there is a code of conduct. We have no big issues with the groups that have signed the NCA, and we hope other non-signatories will join soon. Then, everlasting peace will finally be achieved,” Soe Win said.
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