The Karen National Union (KNU), All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), and Chin National Front (CNF), all signatories of the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), released a joint statement on October 12 timed as a response to the Junta’s invitation to Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) to celebrate the NCA's 8th anniversary on October 15th.
As this date approaches, these ceasefire groups have announced the NCA has been invalidated since the military coup in 2021, and ABSDF's comrade Sonny has conveyed that they will not participate in the 8th-anniversary ceremony organized by the Military Council, as reported to KIC.
Their joint statement released by the three ceasefire groups outlined six political stances and five political objectives, aimed at achieving peace and federalism which is timed as a response to the Military Council ‘s invitations. to ethnic armed organizations that are signatories of the NCA.
The KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Kler Say clarified their common stance,” "We have decided to release this statement, because it is imperative to convey our common objectives to the world. We have consistently and openly expressed our position. But the Military Council has consistently rejected them. However if you review our statement, you will find that our aims are intended for the betterment of the entire nation. Achieving these objectives requires the collective involvement of the entire populace, coming together from all directions,"
These objectives include ending the political role of the Junta, reforming the military, drafting a new constitution as part of a transitioning to civilian governance. Furthermore, the statement made it clear that, if violence against the public continues, they will refrain from engaging in any negotiations with the Military Council.
Among the common goals of these three ceasefire groups are the pursuit of justice for those who have suffered during the conflict, welcoming international mediation, and outlining shared positions that categorically reject any form of dictatorship or power-sharing with the military by a political elite.
“ We have received an invitation from the military to participate in the NCA event. However we have decided not to attend. The current political climate is vastly different from when the NCA was established, rendering its implementation unviable. We are resolute in our stance to abstain from any engagement that would lend legitimacy to the Military Council," Comrade Sonny emphasized.
Moreover, the KNU has underscored that the ceasefire groups had already conveyed their political stance during discussions with the Military Council before the coup. They firmly insisted on restricting political negotiations to ethnic armed organizations adhering to the NCA, which is why they find it inappropriate to continue political negotiations with the Military Council.
In their statement, the ceasefire groups additionally called upon all parties involved in the NCA, including the general public and international governments, to abstain from engaging in activities that would extend the duration of the military dictatorship. Instead, they encouraged support for the realization of the shared goals and positions of the three ceasefire groups.
This stance ruling out any negotiations with the current military runs counter to Asean assumptions, and western governments preferences for a negotiated compromise between the current military regime ,that has plunged Myanmar into a bloody war and economic disaster.
The Military Council has not issued any response to the statement and have already made preparations for the NCA annual event in Nay Pyi Taw. However in spite of Junta‘s statements about seeking peace, they have persistently conducted military operations within ethnic armed territories, resulting in the destruction of homes, airstrikes, and artillery attacks on the local population.
