The UNFC said that thousands of Kachin civilians have been forced from their homes due to the recent fighting on November 17 between the government troops and the Kachin Independent Army near the Nam Lim Pa village in Mansi Township. The fighting broke out not long after the ethnic armed organizations held a conference in Laiza to discuss the proposed nationwide ceasefire with the government.

Khun Okker, the joint secretary of the UNFC spoke to Karen News.

“The fighting in Kachin State is because of the government troops’ territory containment policy. This policy has been used since the previous military regime. If this situation continues, we will need to take more time to discuss the nationwide ceasefire.”

Khun Okker said that in the past ten years, the former military regime’s policy and strategy was to have a ceasefire with the country’s northern based ethnic armed groups while intensifying their offensive towards the country’s southern based ethnic armed groups.

The Kachin Women Association Thailand, estimate that over 1,500 villagers are displaced from Nam Lim Pa village in Mansi Township, Kachin State. The displaced villagers fled to Ban Maw Township to escape the fighting on November17.

Padoh Mahn Mahn, the joint sectary of the Karen National Union spoke to Karen News and said that the government should stop its military operations during the peace talk process otherwise it will have a negative impact on the trust building between the government and the ethnic armed groups.

“The government has to stop the fighting if it wants to help build trust. It is worth pointing out that if the government is insisting on holding on to the political framework as proscribed under the 2008 constitution, it limits the chance of getting a political agreement with the ethnic organisations.”