Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo, General secretary of Karen National Union (KNU) believes no country in history has had all divided factions sign a peace agreement at once.
“The NCA text that we agreed upon is the one that all ethnic armed groups accepted. And, no ethnic armed group said it will not sign the NCA. There could be many reasons why they can’t yet sign or may need time to sign the NCA. In some other countries, some have more armed groups and some have less. But, in practice, no country has all the groups sign at once. So, now the groups that sign the NCA will be accompanied by the groups that have not signed yet ,” said Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win.
The government signed the NCA with eight ethnic armed groups. Those groups include KNU, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), KNU/KNLA-PC, Restoration of Shan State (RCSS), Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), Chin National Front ( CNF), Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), and All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF).
“What we hoped was an all inclusive NCA inking. But, now only some groups have signed the NCA. So, when is peace achieved? Until now, the clashes have continued to take place. So, we want all groups involved in NCA inking,” said U Aye Thar Aung, leader of United Nationalities Alliance (UNA).
Eight out of fifteen ethnic armed groups that the government invited for the NCA inking signed the NCA with the government. The remaining armed groups include Kachin Independent Organization, Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Kareni National Progressive Party (KNPP), United Wa State Army (UWSA), National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) and Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K).
“They say it is a nationwide ceasefire. In reality, the ceasefire is only in some parts. It is not the whole country. No peace can be established in the country yet. A piece of fire can ignite and burn the whole country,” said Nai Hongsar, vice-chairman of UNFC.
Due to the exclusivity of the NCA inking, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, chairwoman of National League for Democracy, U Hkun Tun Oo, chairman of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), and U Aye Thar Aung, leader of UNA, and Min Ko Naing, of 88 generation student group, did not present at the ceremony. However, they were invited to the NCA inking ceremony.
