The conference is being held in Law-Khi-Lar in Hlaingbwe Township, a Karen National Union (KNU) controlled area of Karen State from 2 to 6 June. It has been organised by the NCCT, an organisation that represents 16 ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) in peace negotiations with the government.

On 31 March 2014 the NCCT signed a draft nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the government's Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC) peace negotiating team.

Padoh Kwe Htoo Win, a senior member of the NCCT told Karen News that the Law-Khi-Lar “conference is about informing the remaining member groups about what is in the NCA final draft.”

Neither the UWSA or the RCSS/SSA are members of the NCCT.

Padoh Kwe Htoo Win explained: "The UWSA and the RCSS/SSA were invited to make suggestions about the NCA, but they are not attending because they think it might seem as if they are not directly involved [in the NCA process]. This will not affect the NCA process."

Karen News has been told that in their letter of reply to the conference invitation, dated 26 May, the UWSA and the RCSS/SSA said that they would not be attending because they are not members of the NCCT.

An RCSS/SSA spokesperson, General Sai Hla said: “It may seem as if we are not participating in the ethnic cause, but we are going to be involved. This is an NCCT internal matter. We are waiting for the results of the NCCT leaders negotiations and after that we will discuss and analysis the result.”
Padoh Kwe Htoo Win said that 21 EAOs, including the UWSA, the RCSS/SSA and the Naga groups were invited to the Law-Khi-Lar Conference to discuss the draft NCA.

This is the fourth NCCT conference. The first conference was held in Laiza Town at the Kachin Independent Army (KIA) headquarters in October 2013, the second conference was at Law-Khi-Lar in January 2014 and the third conference was also held in Laiza in July 2014.

Edited in English for BNI by Mark Inkey