The Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), under the leadership of Khaing Ray Khaing, has made an announcement stating that they have halted all processes related to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). They expressed their belief that the goals of ethnic self-determination and the establishment of a democratic state will not be realized through these processes.
This announcement was made in a statement dated September 1, titled "Statement of the Arakan Liberation Party Regarding the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)."
In the statement, it was stated, "We hold the belief that the NCA process will not fulfill the aspirations for self-determination by the ethnic groups, nor will it bring about the conclusion of the civil conflict or the establishment of a peaceful and prosperous federal democratic state, as desired by the entire population of Myanmar."
"After the 2021 coup, all of the NCA's processes were halted. The military coup led to widespread protests and the emergence of numerous armed PDFs engaged in conflict. Consequently, relying solely on the NCA is insufficient to bring about peace throughout Myanmar. From the ALP's perspective, the NCA processes have come to a complete standstill. If we continue along this path, there will be no progress in the entire country, and peace will remain elusive. I want to stress this point unequivocally," ALP General Secretary Khaing Kyaw Khaing emphasized in a statement to Narinjara.
Hence, the ALP is collaborating with allied revolutionary forces, fostering national unity alongside revolutionary and political entities within Rakhine State, and persistently advancing towards the goal of an unfinished armed revolution to determine its own destiny, the statement said.
The statement also emphasizes that Saw Mra Razar Lin, who has separated from the ALP and engaged in discussions with the Military Council, is entirely unrelated to the ALP.
Regarding the issue, Khaing Kyaw Khaing stated, "The ALP is one of the five groups that engaged in discussions with the Military Council. What I want the public to understand clearly about this matter is that the ALP, as an organization, is not involved in these discussions. Following the coup d'état, the NCA process has already come to a halt. Therefore, the engagement with the Military Council under the banner of the ALP is being carried out by Saw Mra Razar Lin's faction, which has separated from our organization. We want to clarify to the people of Rakhine and the revolutionary allied groups that the discussions between Saw Mra Razar Lin's group and the Military Council have absolutely no connection with our group."
The ALP's statement stated that the outcomes agreed upon through the NCA processes indicate that achieving the desired self-determination rights of ethnic groups beyond the 2008 constitution drafted by the Myanmar military is unattainable.
"As long as the military maintains its grip on the politics of Myanmar, there is no possibility of achieving the genuine federal union that our ethnic groups and the people of Myanmar require. Therefore, the ALP is committed to joining forces with ethnic groups striving for an end to military dictatorship, the PDF, and other allied forces working towards the overthrow of the military regime," reiterated General Secretary Khaing Kyaw Khaing.
Furthermore, the ALP said that following the military coup in early 2021, nearly all essence and progress related to the NCA have been halted, leading to a loss of Myanmar's prospects for peace.
"In the current political and military circumstances in Myanmar, I want to assure the people that the ALP will persist in its struggle for the liberation of Rakhine State. We are dedicated to forging national unity with Rakhine political entities and revolutionary forces, with the ultimate goal of empowering Rakhine to shape its own future," Khaing Kyaw Khaing reiterated.
Due to the military coup, nationwide protests and armed uprisings ensued, leading to the emergence of new revolutionary forces such as the People's Defense Forces (PDF), the CRPH, NUG, and NUCC.
The statement highlights that Northern Alliance armed resistance organizations, which include NCA signatories like KNU and CNF, as well as non-NCA signatories like KNPP and KIO, have seized substantial territories. They have united with the NUG and PDF in their collective effort to dismantle the military dictatorship and establish a federal democracy.
As a result of its violent arrests, torture, and killings of civilians, the Military Council is confronting both political and economic sanctions, as well as international non-recognition.
The ALP's statement points to General Zaw Min Tun's statements during the Military Council's press conference on August 22 as evidence that the Military Council is attempting to shift blame onto the revolutionary parties and the entire population as a means of navigating the broad political, military, and economic crisis brought about by the coup. Furthermore, the statement highlights that the Military Council is actively engaged in repressive killings and a political offensive with the aim of undermining unity.
Following the military coup, leaders within the ALP became divided into two factions as a result of differing positions and opinions.
Currently, the ALP party is divided into two factions: one led by party chairman Khaing Ray Khaing and the other by Saw Mra Razar Lin. Khaing Ray Khaing's faction continues to actively oppose the coup Military Council alongside their allies, while Saw Mra Razar Lin's group is engaged in talks with the Military Council through the NCA pathway.
