Ahead of historic peace talks between ethnic armed groups next week, police in Myanmar’s capital have asked that attendees refrain from bringing their weapons with them.
Hotels housing delegates to the Panglong Conference, set to start August 31, will be under police guard and attendees will be searched there, the Myanmar Times reports.
“We’ll send request letters in advance to the ethnic groups which have not yet abandoned weapons [requesting them] not to bring weapons to the conference,” said an unnamed official. “And, for security, we will examine [attendees] with machine at the hotels where the delegates will stay.
While some of the groups signed a previous agreement to lay down arms, three holdout groups – the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army – have also implied that they will attend.
In contrast to heavy security operations undertaken by the former military-backed government during peace talks in January, precautions are not yet underway in Naypyitaw.
“We have not been ordered to tighten up security for the Panglong Conference,” said Police Lieutenant Min Si Thu of police branch 19, in charge of security at the convention center, told the Myanmar Times.
With that in mind, guys, it would be really great if you left the AKs at home.
