KNU Position Statement on Tatmadaw Military Activities in Mutraw District

Karen National Union (KNU) | March 16, 2018

From the 4th March 2018, the Tatmadaw was preparing to build a road, which could be of assistance to military operations, between Kaypu and Lermuplaw villages in the KNU Mutraw (Papun) District, KNLA Brigade-5 Area. As the KNU did not give permission according to progress of the peace process, and as the Tatmadaw, after increasing its strength, continued to carry out the road construction survey in combination with military activities, tension has arisen between the two sides and, as a result, nearly 2,000 people from 14 local villages fled, and took refuge in ravines and other places.

The KNU signed Ceasefire Agreements with the Union Government at State and Union levels in 2012, the Deed of Commitment for Peace and National Reconciliation in 2015, and the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015, and has been actively working at the forefront of the peace process.

Currently, means and ways are being sought for resolving obstacles in discussions on basic concepts and definitions in Sub National Level Political Dialogues. As it is currently the time to put in greater effort into confidence-building measures to ensure the ceasefire implementation, such activities on the part of Tatmadaw, and encounters by the two sides have deviated from and undermined the basic concepts and values of the NCA, which were agreed by both sides. Whist efforts are being made for the conclusion of the NCA, this is breaching the terms of the NCA.

Therefore, for the successful implementation of the NCA, this incident indicates that there is an urgent need to undertake, without fail, negotiations to establish a common understanding and acceptance by the two sides of an agreed interpretation and concepts of the NCA. Discussions for continuing negotiations relating to the military related issues must be continued, allowing the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) as an independent monitoring mechanism with the inclusion of impartial third-party participation.

The KNU has issued its position statement on the matters as follows.

We call upon the Tatmadaw to cease its military activities as a way of demonstrating trust building. In practice, to withdraw the Military Operations Commands (MOCs) and the battalions under them, which have been sent in for road building, and to guarantee security for the Internally Displaced Karen people, seeking refuge away from fighting, to return to their homes.
We also call on the national and international organisations, including the ones from the countries which have witnessed the NCA, to provide humanitarian aid to the IDP people displaced by the military tensions.
For the success of the Burma/Myanmar peace process, we call on the Union Government to organize further discussions to resolve the differences on basic concepts regarding the NCA which still exist between signatories of the NCA – the Union Government and the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) – and to formulate common visions and values relating to the establishment of the future Democratic Federal Union.

In accordance with the position on internal peace and the future programmes laid down by the 16^th Congress, and for the emergence of the implementation of a genuine and just peace process, we, the KNU, hereby declare that we will find solutions to problems by holding consultation and discussion meetings with all the stakeholders concerned.

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