Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) has urged the government and army to make a positive response for the two-month extension of unilateral ceasefire by three alliance members announced on January 1.

The ALD said they welcomed the announcement of a two-month extension of unilateral ceasefire affected from January 1 to February 29 to implement the peace process.

The three alliance members said they extended the unilateral ceasefire to implement the peace process in practical and to build a peaceful environment in the 2020 election.

People are worried about the 2020 election to be held in Rakhine State due to military tension in the state and the announcement of two-month extension of unilateral ceasefire by three alliance members is showing they want peace and want to hold an election, said Myo Kyaw, secretary of the ALD.

“If the government and army make negotiation with them, the fighting occurred in northern Myanmar including Rakhine State may be ceased. The election can be held,” said Myo Kyaw.

The ALD urged the government, army and all ethnic armed groups need to take a lesson from previous occasions.

Although the Daily Eleven contacted Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Secretary of Tatmadaw True News Information Team to ask for a remark concerned with the announcement of two-month extension of unilateral ceasefire by three alliance members, no reply is made.

The three-group alliance urged the army to stop the launching of offensive attacks on ethnic armed groups, to show their wish to implement peace talks for a ceasefire agreement and to sign a ceasefire agreement with all ethnic armed groups as quickly as possible.

They said they will defend themselves if the army is continued to launch the offensive attacks on them during their unilateral ceasefire period.

It will be their third time extension. They announced the unilateral ceasefire period from September 9 to October 8 in 2019 in the first time and from October 9 till at the end of December in the second time.

Although four ethnic armed groups from a northern alliance including Kachin Independence Army (KIA) are in negotiation with the government to sign the ceasefire agreement, TNLA and AA forces clash with the army in northern Shan and Rakhine states.