The Three Brotherhoods Alliance, a coalition of ethnic armed organizations, wants to join the government's Union Peace Conference - 21st Century Panglong if their security is assured.
Under the direction of Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), leaders of the alliance - Arakan Army (AA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army - said they would send representatives to the government's peace conference.
FPNCC was formed by members of the alliance, and the United Wa State Army, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army and National Democratic Alliance Army to negotiate with the government on peace matters.
On July 21, the Three Brotherhoods Alliance issued a joint statement pledging interest in attending the peace conference. It also called for a "free and fair" general election, scheduled for November 8.
"The Union Peace Conference has been delayed for various reasons. If we have a guarantee of our security, we - the Three Brotherhoods Alliance - want to attend the Union Peace Conference under the leadership of the FPNCC," the joint statement said.
Plans are underway to resume the long-delayed peace conference from August 12-14, based on information obtained from ethnic leaders and the government.
Over 1,000 delegates attended the last meeting. During these pandemic times, the government wants to reduce that number for the next gathering.
The Three Brotherhoods Alliance also said it hoped to resume political negotiation talks with the government's National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) as soon as possible.
The joint statement said the government and Burma Army's decision to call its member, AA, an lawful organization and a terrorist group, and then attack it in southern Chin State and northern Rakhine State has damaged trust.
The alliance isn't associated with any terrorist group, the statement said. Its members are freedom fighters who struggle for political equality and ethnic rights.
Members of the Three Brotherhoods Alliance and KIA are also members of the Northern Alliance. Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Northern Alliance was in discussions with the government about signing a bi-lateral peace agreement.
