Karen National Defense Organization Statement on Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement

1. The Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) has closely followed the development regarding the peace process of Burma/Myanmar, starting with the call for nationwide ceasefire by the Ethnic Armed Resistance Organizations (EARO) in 2011 to be followed by political dialogue.

2. While resuming military offensives against the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on June 9, 2011, U Thein Sein government started the peace process with the classic divide-and-conquer strategy by reaching ceasefire agreement with individual EARO, one after another, instead of negotiating with the EARO alliance, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC).

3. In the nearly 3 and a half years of protracted negotiation supposedly for Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) but mainly drafting the framework for political dialogue, the UNFC made a number of concessions. The NCA does not contain a firm guarantee for the establishment of a genuine federal Union of States.

4. Finally, the UNFC calls for all government military offensives, which have come to include, in addition to the KIO, three more UNFC member organizations, the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Arakan Army (AA).

5. Of the 18 EARO, the government is now going to sign the NCA with only 8 organizations, in disregard of appeals by the international community, the civil society organizations and a majority of the political parties, to make the signing of the NCA to be all-inclusive.

6. For the reasons cited above, the KNDO cannot accept this NCA as it is a fake one designed to hoodwink the people and beg the international community for further aid and assistance, while the government carries on the divide-and-conquer policy. From the very beginning, the government treat the EARO with condescension. It gives no equal status and shows no respect to them in all the negotiations.

7. The KNDO will continue to watch further development with much concern and wariness. In conclusion, the KNDO calls on all concerned to actively work for stronger unity and strive for getting the peace process on the right track.

Download this statement in English here.

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