Northern Alliance trio ready for joint ceasefire with Tatmadaw

By Nay Win San 20 Sep 2019

Kyaw Chit | DMG
20 September, Sittwe
 
The Northern Alliance consisting of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Arakan Army (AA) has announced a unilateral ceasefire with the Tatmadaw until 31 December this year.
 
The extension of a unilateral ceasefire intends to facilitate the negotiations of bilateral ceasefire agreements pragmatically and effectively, and reduce the armed clashes, the group said in the statement.

The Brotherhood Alliance is ready for a joint ceasefire if the Tatmadaw is desirous of implementing it, the statement said. The Tatmadaw’s attitude towards the announcement is not yet known.

The Northern Alliance trio announced a one-month unilateral ceasefire with the Tatmadaw from 9 September to 8 October and extended it until the end of this year.

“We will fight back if the Tatmadaw launches offensive attacks and aerial bombings on our troops or camps by using helicopters,” said Khaing Thukha, Spokesperson of the Arakan Army.

The alliance trio said they maintained their right to defend themselves if the Tatmadaw attacked their troops or camps, conducted military operations in their territories; fired mortar and artillery; launch airstrikes where troops were not directly engaged; or targeted civilians or blocked internally displaced persons from accessing food.

The Tatmadaw’s truce in five military commands expires on 21 September.

The Tatmadaw declared the truce on 21 December 2018 and extended it three times in April, June and August.

Nevertheless, the Tatmadaw excluded the Western Command of Arakan State where fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army is taking place.

Seven points were agreed on between four ethnic armed groups, the government’s Peace Commission and the Tatmadaw during peace talks held in Kengtung on 17 September.

Both sides have agreed to sign the tentative ceasefire agreement, end the current armed clashes, return internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their respective homes, designate locations for troops from both sides, set rules to be followed by both sides and hold a meeting in October.