The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) did not attend a meeting in Mongla in eastern Shan State attended by the military and member groups of the Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee (FPNCC), although it is in the committee.

Khun Sam, a political analyst from Myitkyina, told KNG that the fact that the regime called the meeting highlights the political crisis it is currently facing and is unable to bring about political change, let alone engage in meaningful dialogue.

”Their attitude is to solve problems with weapons,” he said. The meeting with the FPNCC was just for ”show and has no political value”. ”They have not disclosed their policy for negotiations with the ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) because they have none except to destroy them.” That is why they attacked the Karen National Union’s Lay Kay Kaw peace town on 15 December, the day of the Mongla meeting.

The KIO is fighting the junta in Kachin and Shan states. FPNCC member Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army has also been fighting with the military in Muse District, along the Chinese border in northern Shan State, for several months.

Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the regime’s State Administration Council, told some media that all seven EAOs in the FPNCC were welcome to attend, but only six would be allowed to participate in discussions during the meeting in Special Region 4 of the National Democratic Alliance Army.

When asked by KNG, Col Naw Bu, spokesperson for the KIO, didn’t know what was discussed at the talks between the army leadership and the six committee groups that attended. Besides the EAOs already mentioned, the others that joined were the United Wa State Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, the Arakan Army and the Shan State Progress Party.