NCA signatories condemn military’s attacks on civilians and religious buildings

By DMG 05 Nov 2021

DMG Newsroom
5 November 2021, Sittwe  

The Peace Process Steering Team (PPST), representing the 10 ethnic armed group signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), issued a statement on November 5 condemning military conduct since the February coup d’état, which the team said has targeted public property and religious buildings. 

The PPST criticised Myanmar military attacks on civilians and religious buildings in Sagaing and Magway regions and Kayah State, as well as more recently in Thantlang, Chin State, on October 29, and called for action against the perpetrators. 

The PPST is working to resolve the political crisis on the basis of the three principles of the NCA, while lamenting that the loss of civilian lives and property continues, said Yebaw Myo Win, a PPST spokesman. 

“The Myanmar military’s attacks on innocent civilians and religious buildings should not be allowed at all. We are concerned that the subsequent political and military problems that will arise based on the actions of the military will grow further. We learned a lesson from this and asked it not to happen again,” he explained. 

According to the PPST, the current political instability and the general crisis facing Myanmar’s people has left the country on the brink and threatens regional stability. 

The PPST has set up a coordinating committee to meet with stakeholders at home and abroad to resolve the current political crisis and bring together ideas on a federal democratic union, it said. 

“Now the Myanmar junta is preparing to start meeting with political parties. Discussions are underway on how to resolve the current political crisis in the country,” he said. 

The PPST was formed in 2015 to hold peace talks with the government under the NCA framework. 

It has been more than six years since the NCA was signed on October 15, 2015, but its 10 ethnic armed group signatories have stated since the coup that the accord has not achieved the expected results.