Tatmadaw (defence services) will halt all of its military activities in five theaters with the aim of conducting separate negotiations with all NCA non-signatories, reported the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services on December 21.

The remarks of the report the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services released came from the statement read out by Maj-Gen Tun Tun Kyi during the meeting with the reporters after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing had held a meeting with Myanmar Press Council (MPC) on December 21. 

The Tatmadaw is tying to the best of its ability to make peace with all ethic armed organizations. The Tatmadaw is attending to the demands of the ethnic armed organizations as much as possible. In doing so, we have seen success to some degree, but in some matters we are still negotiating and we have invited some ethnic armed organizations. We always seek ways and means how to achieve peace. Recently three ethnic armed organisations have shown their desire to give up military actions and they will continue engage in carrying out peace process. We review the whole matter considering that we need to deal with remaining matters as those three ethnic armed organisations are not enough for peace.     

MNTJP, PSLF and ULA, regarding the Myanmar’s peace process, issued an announcement on December 12, 2018 that they would halt military operations and continue engaging in national reconciliation and peace process through political means. The Peace Commission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, on the same day, released a statement, saying that it welcomed that joint statement and that it would negotiate with them to sign bilateral ceasefire agreements and start political dialogue, according to the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services. 

 With regard to this, the Tatmadaw deems it necessary to hold separate talks with all the ethnic non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in areas of Northern Command, North Eastern Command, Eastern Command, Eastern Central Command and Triangle Region Command, the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services said.

To facilitate the start of negotiations, the Tatmadaw will halt all of its military activities from 21 December, 2018 to 30 April 2019 in respective theaters. During that period, ethnic armed organizations in respective theaters are to hold talks on peace including ceasefire with National Reconciliation and Peace Center. If necessary, the following negotiation team led by Lt-Gen Yar Pyae and consisting senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and commanders of respective regional commands from the Tatmadaw will hold talks, the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services said. 

“As we are assigned to the task of conducting negotiation with the ethnic armed organisations in the areas of Northern Command, Eastern Central Command and Triangle Region Command, we are committed to achieving peace,” said Lt-Gen Yar Pyae. 

While the Tatmadaw has offered talks for ceasefire and eternal peace, in good faith, all ethnic armed organizations are advised to put special emphasis on four out of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services’ “six-point peace principle” to the letter, which are :- (a) Commitment to agreements (b) Abstaining from misusing the peace agreement (c) Not to place burden on local populace (d) Abidance to existing laws, according to the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.  

Similarly, ethnic armed organizations must take responsibility not to disrupt the functioning of different levels of the government’s administrative mechanism and smooth transportation, and not to harm the lives and property of the people. The Tatmadaw will take necessary action to mitigate if paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 are violated, the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services said.

It is important to settle displaced persons in conflict areas back to their homes as soon as possible. The Tatmadaw will provide assistance as necessary in that regard. The Tatmadaw will do its best to facilitate productive talks on ceasefire and peace and undertakings for socio-economic development of ethnic regions, the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services said.

The Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services pledged to the NCA signatories and non-signatories at the exclusive meeting of the 3rd anniversary of the signing of NCA that “The Tatmadaw is committed to accomplish the peace process by 2020. The Tatmadaw will honour this commitment and hand over eternal peace, the aspiration of the national people, to the hands of the people.” All the ethnic armed organizations are urged to make the same pledge and accomplish the process for security reintegration and signing of the Union Accord, the report of the Office of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services said.

Edited by Win Htut