The Office for the Commander in Chief of Armed Forces announced on January 28th, that in the month of February the Tatmadaw will focus their efforts on protection measures against Covid-19, and in implementing peace.
The statement prompted the speaker of Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Major Mine Aice Kyaw to comment “They have made such statements in the past but then do the opposite.”
February 1st saw the military instead initiate a coup, prevent parliament from sitting and detained the State Councillor, Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected leaders.
On the same day, the military junta also dissolved the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and on February 2, 2021, they Tatmadaw informed the Ethnic Armed Organization (EAOs) they must discuss the future of the peace process with a newly created military committee.
In response the ten ethnic armed organizations who signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) decided not to recognize the newly created military committee. Instead they held a Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) meeting by video conference on February 19, 2021.
“We’ve made a very important decision in the meeting. That “at the moment, we will not engage in a political dialogue with the military council.”, said the Team Leader General Ywet Sit.
The EAOs have declared they support the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and requested the military not use violence towards the peaceful protesters.
