Ceasefire

Three ethnic armed organizations not recognized by the previous military backed government as part of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement have said they are prepared to attend upcoming political dialogue if they are invited. The three armed groups – the Myanmar National Truth and Justice Party/ Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNTJP/MNDAA), the United League of Arakan Army/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) and…

Karen State based political parties and civil society groups said that they are not invited to take part at the state level Joint Monitoring Committee-State Level (JMC-S). The state level JMC-S was formed with 16 committee members at the headquarters of the Burma Army 22 Light Infantry Division in Hpa-an on the 29th of June, 2016. Saw Kyaw Swa, of…

Delegates from ethnic political parties and women groups are to be invited to the plenary ethnic armed groups’ summit scheduled to be held from July 26 to 29 at Mai Ja Yang, Kachin State. The decision to invite ethnic political parties and the women’s groups was decided the Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN) and leaders from Coordination Team (CT) of…

A Karen National Union controlled checkpoint is fuelling tension between the Burma Army in southern Burma. The KNU checkpoint at Htee Khee, in Megui/Tavoy District [Tanintharyi Region] had been ordered by the local Burma Army commander to move out last week. The Burma Army order was given twice – first by a Htee Hta based tactical commander from Military Operations…

In an effort to resettle and reintegrate internally displaced communities, the Karen National Union’s local officials are using funding from Japan’s Nippon Foundation to build low-cost housing for displaced people forced from their homes during armed conflict. With funding from the Nippon Foundation, a Japanese non-government organisation, 300 low-cost houses are being built in Kyain Seikgyi and Payar Thonzu Townships…

Local villagers from Maw Kee in Myawaddy District were frightened by gunshot fired Burma army commander near their village. Villagers said the Burma Army was angry in negotiation with villagers when he demanded timber. Burma Army soldiers led by Major Nyunt Win Hlaing from Light Infantry Battalion #62 under Military Operation Command (MOC) #19 and based in Ka Nae Lay,…

In an effort to unify both the signatories and non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement the leaders of the ethnic armed groups met last week in Chaing Mai, Thailand. The groups met in the hope of finding unity before beginning negotiations with the newly elected National League of Democracy government. The ethnic armed group’s summit was held from 24th to…

YANGON (Myanmar Now) – Ethnic leaders and armed group representatives have welcomed last week’s appointment of Htin Kyaw as president of the National League for Democracy government, with some voicing confidence in his government’s abilities to revive Myanmar’s stalled peace process. “Although Aung San Suu Kyi is not the president, she will be able to work harmoniously with the president.…

In an exclusive Interview with Karen News, General Baw Kyaw Heh, Vice Chief-of-Staff of the Karen National Liberation Army, question the potential of Burma’s new government to wrestle power from the country’s military elite. General Baw Kyaw Heh, the Vice Chief-of-Staff of the Karen National Liberation Army told Karen News that ethnic people had placed their faith in Aung San…

A major Burma ethnic political alliance claims that the government’s peace convention will fail. The alliance said in a statement that convention, part of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, is scheduled to start on January 12, is unlikely to lead to a genuine democratic federal union for the country. The United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), composed of eight ethnic political parties made…