The Karen National Union responded strongly to coup leader, General Min Aung Hlaing’s accusations ethnic armed organizations non-acceptance of his invitation to attend ‘so-called peace talks’ was due to ‘foreign influence’.
The KNU explained to Karen News that any meaningful dialogue or any attempts to broker peace talks with the military-appointed State Administration Council would not be transparent or accountable without the international community being involved.
KNU’s spokesperson, Padoh Saw Taw Nee, told Karen News.
“Without the involvement of the international community, there would be no truth, respect, or dignity in the talks. We have experienced this before. Without the international community’s involvement, they [the military] will continue to do as they please. We have already experienced this over many years.”
The military coup leader, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, accused the EAO’s on the SAC sponsored television network on May 12 of being under the influence of international countries.
Gen. Min Aung Hlaing alleged national and internal affairs would not be stable as long as foreign countries were involved – Myanmar affairs had to be decided by the Myanmar people themselves.
A number of EAO’s pointed out Gen.Min Aung Hlaing was being devious, as it was under his leadership that the military launched its coup on 1st February 2021, against the will of the people, and removed the legally elected government and dismantled the country’s parliamentary infrastructure.
Gen. Min Aung Hlaing accused Karen, Kachin and Karenni armed groups of being aligned with anti-coup and pro-democracy opponents of the State Administration Council.
“It is observed that in their region, KNU, KIA, and KNPP have relations with PDF and CRPH, which we currently consider terrorist organizations. We are also informed that these groups are involved with foreign countries. We found that it was why they announced that they would not attend our talks.”
The KNU statement made it clear why it wanted the international community to participate in any ‘peace-talks’ with the military.
KNU spokesperson, Padoh Saw Taw Nee also pointed out that by demanding the involvement of foreign countries was not a matter of being influenced by them, but instead were needed to make sure any talks were both transparent and those attending were held accountable. Padoh Saw Taw Nee said the military had a history of acting unilaterally in the previous talks it held with EAO’s.
Khu Daniel, Karenni National Progressive secretary, said as ethnic armed groups had diplomatic relations with the international community for many years, Gen Min Aung Hlaing’s allegations were baseless, and his organization was not dependent or operating with the help of the international community.
Khu Daniel in an interview with Karen News said.
“We are not under foreign influence. We’ve been working for our people and citizens for many years. We fight only for the rights of our people. There is no pressure from the international community. There is no support from them for our organization. His allegations are baseless.”
Khu Daniel said considering Gen. Min Aung Hlaing’s had forced a coup on the people, his current statement Myanmar politics should be decided by Myanmar people was disingenuous, and that there was now no longer any trust without the international involvement, as the military had always been unilateral in its negotiations in its quest for its own victory.
A statement from the military council stated six ethnic armed groups that signed the National Ceasefire Agreement and three ethnic armed groups not involved in the ceasefire agreement would attend its ‘peace talks’.
Those EAO’s refusing the State Administration Council’s invitation were the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Chin National Front (CNF), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) and the Karen National Union (KNU) – each gave their respective reasons for rejecting the invitations.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (Kokang) (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and United League of Arakan/ Arakan Army (ULA/AA) responded through the media they would not be attending as individual groups and would only follow the decision of Federal Political Negotiation and Consultive Committee (FPNCC).
General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the military-appointed State Administration Council said in a statement, the United Wa State Party (UWSP/UWSA), National Democratic Alliance Army (Mong La) (NDAA), and Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP, SSA) would attend the peace talks with the military-coup leader.
SSA sources said the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) under immense pressure from the State Administration Council announced, after the deadline had passed, it would attend.
