Officials of the Myanmar government’s Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC) and leaders of armed ethnic groups claim the recent resumption of armed clashes are not harmful to the peace-making process but have negative impacts on the people.
The engagements were based on problems between soldiers on both sides at the lowest level, without any intent to disturb the peace talks, according to participants in the ongoing peace talks being held at the Myanmar Peace Center in Yangon on October 2.
“In fact, it is the people who suffer losses. Both sides can meet at the roundtable for negotiation of peace if they are willing to actually restore peace. But it is impossible for these disturbances to affect the peace process,” said Nai Han Thar Bun Khaing, an official in charge of the foreign relations department of the New Mon State Party.
U Hla Tun, Pyithu Hluttaw representative and parliamentarian representative in the UPWC, expressed his confidence that no incidents will disturb the overall peace-making process.
Armed clashes have recently taken place in Mon State, in northern Shan State, and close to Myawaddy in Kayin State on the Thai border.
Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, deputy leader of the National Ceasefire Coordination Team and secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU), said, “Some clashes occurred between the KNU and the army. We opened fire at the enemy to defend ourselves. But we prefer not to resume the fighting.”
