Pado Mahn Mahn, a spokesman for the KNU Brigade 5, told the Mon News Agency that the signing of the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) has been exploited. He noted that fighting resumed due to the government’s administration of the agreement allowing for an expansion of military territory.
Pado Mahn Mahn said, “It has been 4-5 years since the NCA was signed. The Bilateral Ceasefire, which has been going on for seven or eight years, is still being discussed with the military, so if we look back, both the military and the government took advantage [allowing] territorial and military expansion. These shootings have happened again.”
The Tatmadaw’s Mae Wine military base, was recently the scene of clashes in Hpapun district. The KNU has demanded withdrawal of government troops in the area in order to build trust and advance peace talks.
“As far as the NCA agreement is concerned, we need to have a guideline for a ceasefire and a demarcation of our territory. We have already made our demands. To this day, they have not been met…
On December 1, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) issued a statement calling on the Burmese Army to withdraw its former bases and new bases in the village by the end of 2020 for the sake of peace and stability in the area.”
However, in December, the KNLA Brigade 5 carried out five mine attacks and four sniper attacks beyond the designated area near Mae Wai, in violation of the NCA’s ceasefire rules and regulations.
Provisions in Accord 3 of the Code of Conduct were violated.
On December 15, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces announced that the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (State level) has objected 39 times to violations of the NCA agreement by the KNLA Brigade 5 in 2020, and will take the necessary action for regional stability and security.
“These are issues that need to be resolved at the JMC. Not only conflict with the KNU but also RCSS. So conflicts continue to grow as they get bigger and smaller. The fighting in Hpapun, Mae Wai area, has been happening for a long time, mainly due to the failure of the JMC.” Said Maung Maung Soe, a Burmese political analyst.
Of the 10 Ethnic Armed Organizations who signed onto the NCA, ceasefire areas have been agreed to between the Tatmadaw and the New Mon State Party (NMSP). Similar ceasefire agreements with the KNU and the RCSS have yet to be established.
Since the beginning of December, there have been frequent clashes between the Tatmadaw and the KNU. Villagers from Mae Wine, Kine Goat, Hla Kon Pyo, Win Maung, Phapun, and Kama Maaung that are near a Tatmadaw base are now fleeing due to the increase in military troops, according to Naw Samu, of the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN).
The clashes involve the Military Operations Command (MOC-8), the KNLA Battalion 102, and KNU Brigade 5. Hundreds of local villagers are fleeing to relatives’ houses in Belin Township, Mon State.
“There are a lot of difficulties there. They are scared. They have a hard time finding food and living. Children and girls face many difficulties. The war does not stop. The Burmese army has increased. The local villagers did not dare to stay in their place, so they had to go to another place where their relatives were safe,” said Naw Samu.
