Defense Services Commander-in-Chief Office issues a statement on ceasefire and everlasting peacewith the objective of continuing to implement the peace process in a practical manner and achieving the everlasting peace that the entire mass of the people aspire for, the military campaigns will remain to be suspended for one more year from 1 January to 31 December 2023 except the time when the national security and the State’s administrative machinery are disturbed as well as matters concerning national defense and administration are adversely affected.
It stated that it is one year and 11 months now Tatmadaw has taken over the responsibilities of the State in accord with the Constitution (2008). The State Administration Council, on its part, has formulated the Five-Point Roadmap for strengthening a genuine, discipline-flourishing multiparty democratic system and building up a Union based on democracy and federalism, and the peace process is being constantly undertaken to be able to implement the fourth point of the roadmap, “the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) will be abided by as much as possible to ensure attainment of enduring peace across the nation”.
The 4th of January 2023 is the 75th Anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) Day. It can be seen that the ethnic national people cannot yet fully enjoy the essential benefits of independence which has been retained for 75 whole years because of the internal armed conflicts caused by the differences of opinion. Only when the problem of internal armed conflicts can be resolved, can the benefits of democracy and independence be enjoyed to the full, it said.
State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on his part, delivered a speech on 22 April 2022 concerning peace to the ethnic armed organizations and the people; additionally, he invited the leaders of the ethnic armed organizations to hold honest and frank discussions in order that the peace process can be more effectively implemented in a practical manner. Till today, Tatmadaw has been able to meet two times with the seven groups which have signed the NCA namely DKBA, KNU-KNLA/PC, PNLO, NMSP, ALP, RCSS (SSA) and LDU and the three groups which have not signed the NCA yet viz UWSA, NDAA and SSPP (SSA), bringing the number of discussants to ten in total.
During the discussions, matters relating to the pursuit of a genuine multiparty democratic system, the building up of the Union based on democracy and federalism, the demands made by the ethnic armed organizations and things that are essential to respective regions and the country and feasible to implement were discussed frankly for the benefit of the Union with the positive results achieved. The peace process is ongoing to effectuate the path to peace based on the 2008 Constitution and the NCA.
In conclusion, it stated that in ensuring the peace and prosperity of the Union which is the aspiration of the entire mass of the people and in the effectuation of the socioeconomic development as well as in attempting to reach the goal of durable peace, the discussion and negotiation approach shall be employed to conform to the democratic practices. All organizations and individuals involved in the peace process are enjoined to exert concerted efforts to their utmost and in a manner that will benefit the Union to be able to increasingly implement the peace process during the extended ceasefire period.
