Military Council Sends Notice to Ceasefire-Compliant Karen Armed Groups, Urging Supervision of Troops
The Minister of Security and Border Affairs of the Military Council, Colonel Myo Min Naung, has sent notification letters to the relevant liaison offices of ethnic armed forces in Karen State, instructing them to report to their respective chiefs and liaison offices when they travel.
On March 28, Colonel Myo Min Naung, the Security and Border Affairs Minister of Karen State, acting on behalf of the Karen Chief Minister of the Military Council, sent the notification to the Karen National Union (KNU) Liaison Office, KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC) Liaison Office, and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) Liaison Office in Hpa An. These organizations are ethnic armed groups that have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).
According to Major Soe Moe, who is in charge of the DKBA Liaison Office in Hpa-An, the notice was sent to ensure that troops traveling with weapons within the state report their movements through the appropriate liaison office.
“Whether it’s from Myawaddy or Kyainseikgyi, if you cross the border, you report to them how many weapons, vehicles, and people there are. From there, they report back to the relevant checkpoints. We used to report like that. But now it’s more important. They are being shot at like that a lot,” he said.
According to the notification letter from the Minister of Security and Border Affairs, there have been incidents caused by the lack of orderliness when armed forces are traveling, and to prevent such incidents, members of ethnic armed organizations are required to report to their relevant superiors when traveling to any area.
The notification letter emphasizes that ethnic armed organizations must communicate to their troops the importance of contacting their respective liaison offices prior to traveling and providing accurate information upon their return.
“In the past, we had this agreement. We have been following this agreement for many years. Now, when the situation is a bit difficult and challenging, it is a preventive measure to prevent each other from causing problems and misunderstandings,” KNU/KNLA-PC spokesperson Colonel Saw Kyaw Nyunt told KIC about the notification letter.
Following attacks by the Revolutionary Joint Forces on Military Council camps in Myawaddy, Kawkareik, Kyainseikgyi, and Kyondoe townships in Karen State, the Military Council has taken strict measures to control the movement of ethnic armed forces in these areas.
In 2022, as fighting intensified near Myawaddy town, the Military Council issued a notice through the relevant liaison office to ethnic armed groups passing through Myawaddy and nearby areas. The notice required them to report their movements two days in advance and obtain permission before traveling.
