KIO rejects junta chief’s peace talks proffer 

By DMG 05 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
5 May 2022, Sittwe 

The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), has said it will not join the peace talks proposed last month by junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. 

On April 22, Min Aung Hlaing called for face-to-face talks with the leaders of Myanmar’s ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) to discuss peace. 

In a statement on Thursday, the KIO said it had received a further invitation from Lieutenant General Min Naung dated May 2, but the Kachin group said it would join the talks only when all the stakeholders that should be present at the talks are invited and the country’s affairs can be discussed on equal terms. 

According to political observers, the KIO holds the view that not only EAOs but also the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) and its armed wing, the People’s Defense Force (PDF), should be invited to the talks. 

“The KIO has released such a statement to discourage other groups from joining the talks,” said political analyst U Than Soe Naing. “In my opinion, the KIO means that if [the regime] wants to solve the crisis, it is not enough to engage with the groups it has invited, but also NUG, PDF and all the forces it has declared terrorist organisations should participate.” 

DMG was unable to obtain comment from junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun about the KIO’s rejection of peace talks. 

At a regime press conference on April 27, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said the military government has no plan to hold peace talks with the NUG or the PDF, which it is actively fighting across much of the country. 

The State Administration Council (SAC), as the regime refers to itself and which Min Aung Hlaing chairs, will work for a nationwide ceasefire in 2022, with the junta chief calling it the “year of peace” in his speech on April 22. 

“I will meet all ethnic armed groups personally. I will also discuss with members of the State Administration Council. I will hold further discussions with ethnic armed groups if necessary,” he added. 

Min Aung Hlaing called for representatives of EAOs to register for talks by May 9. 

At the press conference on April 27, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun claimed that 17 ethnic armed groups are likely to attend the peace talks. Nine out of 10 signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) are expected to accept the invite for face-to-face discussions and eight out of 11 recognised non-signatories to the NCA are also likely to join, said the junta spokesman. 

Arakanese politician U Pe Than said the talks are an opportunity for EAOs to press their longstanding demands for federalism. 

“If EAOs refuse to join the talks and insist that the NUG and PDF must be involved, then they will not be able to firmly press their federalism demand,” said U Pe Than.

Some EAOs are reportedly still mulling the junta chief’s proposal. 

Several ethnic armed groups, including the KIA, have been engaged in active hostilities with the military since its coup on February 1, 2021.