Statement on Clash Between Burma Army and Karenni Army

Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) | October 21, 2018

1. On October 17, 2018 Burma Army’s (Tatmadaw) Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 428 left its base in Mawchi in order to conduct area clearances. On its way, LIB 428 arbitrarily arrested two villagers from a sesame plantation located between Nan Kit and Ba Han Lot villages on October 18, 2018, and took them with the battalion’s area clearance operation. When conducting the clearance operation, LIB 428 did not use the designated regular route. As a result, a clash broke out between LIB 428 and the Karenni Army on October 20, 2018 at 07:40 a.m. between Nan Kit and Ba Han Lot villages.

2. At the second union level talks between Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and the Myanmar government on June 20, 2013, top military commanders from both sides met in closed-door and discussed military-to-military issues. The meeting resolved that troops from both sides shall use the designated regular routes when they have movements and that they shall give a prior notice of three days for any troop movement. Moreover, the KNPP’s Peace Negotiation Committee met with the Peace Commission of Myanmar government on April 27, 2018 and reaffirmed the agreement on military issues reached at the second union level talks in 2013.

3. The troop movement conducted by LIB 428 on October 17 was not in compliance with the bilateral agreements as there was no prior notice. Such troop movement without prior notice led LIB 428 into areas controlled by Karenni Army, and caused grave concern that a similar incident of December 20, 2017 would happen again.

4. After learning about LIB 428 movement from local sources, the Karenni Army contacted LIB 428. The deputy commander of LIB 428 responded that Tatmadaw could go anywhere within the union, that no one could prohibit it, and that it shall not need to give any prior notice. Such response did not only violate the bilateral agreements but also undermined peace and stability of the region.

5. Subsequently, the Kayah state government issued a statement on the clash. The statement, accusing KNPP of violating the ceasefire agreement, is completely false. The KNPP has not violated any agreement reached at both state and union levels since the beginning of the peace process. Rather, the recent incident was a result of Tatmadaw’s failure to follow the terms of the bilateral agreements.

6. KNPP, therefore, denies the accusation by the Kayah state government as a completely false accusation.