The Tatmadaw announced on September 27 it would commit to a cease fire for 5 months to celebrate the 75th anniversary or diamond anniversary of Union Day. The ceasefire period is to run from October 1 to February 28, 2021.
The ceasefire commitment would also enable implementation of a COVID-19 Protection and Treatment Project that the Tatmadaw claims will help bring a lasting peace to the country.
The Tatmadaw ceasefire statement was qualified and would not apply if the country’s security or government operations were attacked.
Khun Myint Tun, Vice-Chair of the PaO National Liberation Organization said “We do welcome the announcement of the ceasefire. But this ceasefire will be only successful (if it applies) with no exception. Then it will be more meaningful.”
Khun Myint Tun added that the current conflict needs to be resolved to achieve national unity.
However, Padoh Saw Taw Ni, who is in charge of foreign affairs for the Karen National Union (KNU) said that in most of KNU controlled areas, there have been routine offensives/attacks by the Tatmadaw.
“It is like a routine here. It is not much different. It is the thing [making a ceasefire announcement] that they [Tatmadaw or military] do often. But just like that and then, there is no meaningful outcome. In practice, we only look at their attitude and actions. Whether it is Union day or Independence day or whatever day it is. What they said is nothing that we can accept. We only know what they do in reality,” said Padoh Saw Taw Ni.
Padoh Saw Taw Ni added trust is dependent upon what the Tatmadaw do in practice, not just from making ceasefire announcements.“If we look at the 2008 constitution, they will have to return the power back to the President after the first year [of the coup]; but they have extended those constitutional terms twice, each time by 6 months already. Everything has to become stable within two years. Regarding this ceasefire announcement, consider that when the country was stable and peaceful, they staged their coup. Since they have taken power on February 1, things have become worse throughout the country.” said U Ye Tun (Thibaw), an analyst of Myanmar’s politics.
