PPST calls for end to killing of unarmed civilians, welcomes CRPH constitutional moves

By DMG 04 Apr 2021

DMG Newsroom
4 April 2021, Sittwe 

The Peace Process Steering Team (PPST), formed by the 10 ethnic armed organisations that signed Myanmar’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, on Sunday called on the junta to stop killing unarmed civilians, and to immediately and unconditionally release all those unjustly detained under its rule. 

The PPST made its demands in a five-point “common positions” statement released following a video conference meeting held by members on April 3-4.  

“We will continue our support towards the Spring Revolution including Public Civil Disobedience Movement,” the statement added, while also welcoming a recent declaration by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) abolishing the 2008 Constitution, and the CRPH’s promulgation of a Federal Democracy Charter “as an effort in building a Federal Democratic Union.”    

In his opening address to the virtual PPST meeting on Saturday, team leader Gen. Yawd Serk said Myanmar’s military leaders must be held accountable for killing more than 500 people nationwide as security forces have unleashed lethal crackdowns on anti-regime protesters since the February 1 coup,  

Gen. Yawd Serk also condemned the military regime for recent airstrikes on Karen villages in areas controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU) in eastern Myanmar. Scores of Karen villagers were killed and injured, and thousands more have been displaced by the Tatmadaw’s aerial assault on Karen villages in Papun District late last month.  

The PPST says it will review the NCA and discuss future plans with striking civil servants and the CRPH, a body made up mostly of National League for Democracy (NLD) MPs-elect who were victorious at the ballot box in Myanmar’s November general election, but were denied seats in Parliament when the military staged its coup.