The military council is holding peace talks with ethnic armed groups that have signed ceasefire agreements since the previous government’s rule in Nay Pyi Taw. The military council held three days of peace talks from March 24 to 26 at MICC-2 in Nay Pyi Taw with ethnic armed groups that have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and have been in regular contact with the military since the military took power, parties registered with the military council, members of the previous government’s MPC, and some businessmen. The talks were led by the military council’s National Unity and Peace Cooperation Committee.
What is notable is that the RCSS, the strongest of the remaining seven groups, did not attend the talks, the group told some media outlets. The groups that have signed the NCA and have been in regular contact since the military coup are the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the KNU/KNLA-PC Peace Council, the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), and the Pa-O National Liberation Front (PNLO). Unlike the KNU, which is fighting the military council, the KNU/KNLA-PC is a relatively small group.
Among the seven groups, the PNLO/PNLA has been fighting the military council in collaboration with the revolutionary forces since early 2024. However, the group’s leader, Khun Ukka, has been in contact with the military council, and on October 9, 2024, three members including him announced the formation of the PNLO-NCA-S. The PNLO/PNLA Central Committee then announced the expulsion of the three on October 12. Since then, the PNLA has been fighting the military council and the PNA People’s Army in collaboration with revolutionary groups. Colonel Khun Ukka’s PNLO-NCA-S has been participating in peace talks without any military presence.
Some MNSP leaders have also split off and formed the New Mon State Party-Anti-Military Dictatorship (NMSP-AD) to fight against the military council. Therefore, the participation of the MNSP and PNLO-NCA-S is no longer as full as before, but the military council still calls the EAO 7. Of the 7 groups, the RCSS is strong, the rest are relatively weak, and the PNLO-NCA-S does not even have an armed force. Therefore, these groups have not attacked the military council, but have repeatedly discussed peace talks.
On the other hand, fierce fighting is taking place across the country, and powerful ethnic armed groups such as the KIA, KNU, AA, KA, CNA, MNDAA, and TNLA, in collaboration with the Spring Revolution forces, are attacking cities, military camps, battalions, and headquarters. “The parties to the SCA’s talks now are groups that have no problems with the SCA. In fact, they have to talk with organizations that are fighting the SCA because of the coup. Therefore, no one will be interested in the SCA’s peaceful approach now,” said Chin National Front (CNF) spokesman Salai Htet Ni, commenting on the peace talks being held by the military council.
Karen National Union (KNU) spokesman Pado Saw Tawnee also said that the military council, which talks about peace but in reality attacks and kills people, does not take into account its actions. “When people talk about peace and kill people every day, all trust is lost and the people are tired of fighting the military dictatorship,” Pado Saw Tawnee said.
The KNU/KNLA and CNF/CNA signed the NCA before the military took power, but after the military took power, they have stood with the people and resisted the military council. At the talks in Nay Pyi Taw under the theme “From Dialogue to a New Peaceful State,” the military council discussed not resolving the peace through armed means and that only non-violent means for peace will be sustainable, according to the military council’s propaganda media.
However, on the other hand, the military council, which is suffering from military violence throughout the country, is increasingly bombing schools, monasteries, churches, hospitals, refugee camps, markets, and civilian homes, and civilian deaths are increasing. The bombing and violence committed by the military council troops against the people were not discussed by the remaining EAO groups or parties at the meeting.
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