The junta issued a statement calling on Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) to lay down their arms, take part in the forthcoming junta-rigged elections and settle their differences with the junta using political rather than military means.
The 26 September statement by the junta was incoherent and self-pitying. With a remarkable lack of self-awareness it complained that the people had risen up against the junta when it had only tried to “peacefully end the political issues triggered by voting fraud in the multiparty democratic general election held in 2020.” This conveniently omitted to mention that the 2020 elections were deemed free and fair by all international observers and that military coups, like the one the junta fomented to overturn the 2020 election are not peaceful.
Despite the junta using military force to take power and then committing mass atrocities to try to keep hold of that power its tone deaf statement blames the states losses of “a large number of human resources, infrastructures, lives and property of the people due to the fact that some individuals and organisations chose to resort to armed terrorism and armed struggle” but it does not admit that the first organisation in Myanmar to resort to armed terrorism was the junta.
After blaming the EAOs and PDFs for all the problems in Myanmar without taking any responsibility itself for the current situation the junta’s statement goes on to say: “Ethnic armed organisations and PDF terrorists fighting against the State are invited to contact the State to resolve the political issues through party politics or electoral processes.”
The Karen National Union (KNU) responded to the statement with scepticism.
KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw New said that the junta’s statement is just a continuation of its old tactics aimed at prolonging the military dictatorship's existence.
Responding to the junta’s statement Padoh Saw Taw New said: "Our goal goes beyond mere regime change. Our country has experienced numerous regime changes, yet no significant transformations have occurred. What we seek is to reconstruct the entire system from the ground up. To establish a new system, we must inevitably dismantle the old one.”
But, he did say that if the junta accepts three points proposed by the KNU it would be ready to engage in political talks immediately.
The three points were as follows: the Myanmar military must withdraw from politics and function as an institution under a civilian government in the future; the military must accept a new constitution aimed at establishing a federal union; and the military must take accountability for war crimes committed against civilians.
Previously the junta has called for negotiations with EAOs, but this was the first time the junta has called on PDFs to negotiate, though it did call them “PDF Terrorists.” It also did not invite the NUG to negotiate, despite it being in charge of PDFs.
Sayar Maung Kyaw Swar, a political analyst and author, noted that there is no reason to trust the integrity of the invitation, especially as the junta's statement continues to label the invited organisations as terrorists.
He said: ”The junta has been committing acts of terror through ongoing airstrikes and shelling against the public while branding the invited organisations as terrorists in its statements. This alone demonstrates that there is no reason to trust the junta's invitation, which purports to seek a resolution of political issues through dialogue.”
He added that the underlying intention behind the junta’s invitation was to sow division and was entirely unacceptable as its main objective was to lure resistance organisations into political discussions based on the provisions of the 2008 constitution.
In Myanmar, the 2008 Constitution, arbitrarily drafted by the previous military regime, is widely viewed as a mechanism to keep the military in power. Resistance forces have also argued that the constitution was effectively nullified when the junta staged a coup in 2021, despite this the junta continues to uphold it.
Maung Kyaw Swar believes that the junta needs to make practical changes. He said before issuing the invitation the junta should have first officially announced the suspension of its airstrikes, shelling, and the halting of all offensive operations.
Many PDF leaders fighting against the junta have already made it clear that they will not accept the junta's invitation. Additionally, resistance forces have said on social media that the invitation is insincere and just a tactic to sow divisions among the resistance forces and alleviate pressure from the Chinese Government by demonstrating the junta is seeking a political exit.
Despite the junta’s invitation to resistance forces to resolve political issues through dialogue, it continues to attack them with relentless airstrikes and shelling and made no announcement about stopping such attacks. Such actions show that the junta has not changed and is still committed to using its old tactics.
Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing has firmly stated that junta-organised elections will take place in 2025, with a population and housing census set to be conducted from 1 to 15 October 2024.
The resistance forces have condemned the planned election as a sham, stating they will not accept it under any circumstances, while reaffirming their commitment to eradicating the dictatorship once and for all and establishing a new federal democratic union.
