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Myanmar gov't, signatory armed groups agree to prevent further clashes

Xinhua, February 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Myanmar government, eight signatory ethnic armed groups and civil society groups have agreed to seek ways to prevent further clashes, an official report said Thursday, quoting a statement from the Joint Cease fire Monitoring Committee (JCMC).

The JCMC issued the statement following three days' talks at the Myanmar Peace Center in Yangon, referring to the development in the aftermath of the Nationwide ceasefire Accord (NCA) signed on Oct. 15 last year, particularly recent clashes between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) / Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) and Taaung National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan state which have displaced nearly 4,000 people.

The JCMC said it reserves the right to take action against any party responsible for further clashes, adding that all the committee members remain steadfast in the peace process and add new momentum to the restoration of lasting peace.

The Myanmar government and eight ethnic armed groups out of 15, involved in peace deal with the government, initiated the NCA in Nay Pyi Taw on Oct. 15 last year, witnessed by local and international observers.

The eight groups are Kayin National Union (KNU), Kayin National Liberation Army (KNLA)-Peace Council, Pa-O Nationalities Liberation Organization (PNLO), All Burma Students'Democratic Front (ABSDF), Chin National Front (CNF), Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) , Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) / Shan State Army-South (SSA-S). Seven other groups have not signed the NCA.

As part of the implementation of the NCA shortly after its signing, the signatory armed groups formed two joint committees with the government, of which the JCMC is to prevent recurrence of armed clashes, while the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee is to facilitate political dialogue.

Both sides also agreed to strive for enabling other remaining armed groups which have not signed the NCA to take part and complete the peace process.

However, fighting erupted between RCSS/SSA-S, led by Ywet Sit, and TNLA since last November and their clashes intensified in the first half of this month, forcing nearly 4,000 people to flee the area.

The military has announced intervention in the two ethnic armed groups' fighting in Namhsam and Kyaukme townships in the country's Shan state-north.

The RCSS/SSA-S is one of the eight armed ethnic groups that signed the cease-fire pact with the government, while TNLA is among those which were not invited to sign the agreement. Endit