Kantarawaddy Division (M)
KNPP Deputy Minister of Defense Ku Daniel says that in addition to the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), any true peace dialog must also involve the NUG and the PDFs, both of which were formed during the Spring Revolution.
“Unless the military regime also invites the revolutionary armed organizations such as NUG and the PDFs, our ethnic group has no reason to go. All armed resistance groups need to participate. Only when everyone participates in the process can true peace be achieved.” Ku Daniel said.
The military regime has been inviting certain ethnic armed organizations to peace talks since the 2021 coup, and has invited the KNPP four times.
An observer of the peace process who did not want to be identified said that the military council is showing interest in peace talks purely because it needs international recognition of its right to rule the country. “The regime makes a show of peace talks for the benefit of international observers, while inside the country it perpetrates violence to oppress these ethnic groups, firing artillery at the civilian population. There is a war going on,” said the peace process observer.
Regarding the reasons why the military council invited only the traditional ethnic armed organizations to peace talks, Khu Daniel made this analysis: “The regime wants to separate the youth forces – the PDFs and the National Unity Government – from the older ethnic armed organizations. That’s their purpose. If the regime can reach a separate ceasefire agreement with the EAOs, that leaves the PDFs to fight alone. It would leave the KNDF (Karenni Nationalities Defense Forces, the PDFs that fight alongside the Karenni Army) without a base. It is a repeat of the military’s divide-and-conquer strategy,” said Ku Daniel.
The National Unity Government (NUG) and the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) emerged after the coup and are currently fighting against the military council and have received the support of the great majority of the people.
In Karenni State, the Karenni Army (KA) and its allied KNDF have been fighting the junta regime almost every day. In addition, Karenni Army Commander-in-Chief General Bi Htoo, in his speech at the KA’s military training graduation, said that he will not attend the military council’s fake peace talks, nor will he recognize the military council in any political way, but will stand with the people.
