The government is threatening the fragile trust with ethnic armed groups at a time when both sides try to find common ground during negotiations for a nationwide ceasefire, said the statement released by the ethniccoalition in northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, where the central executive committee held an emergency meeting.
“During nationwide ceasefire negotiations the government has launched more offensives in the Kachin area creating more doubt (about ongoing peace discussions) between both sides. They shouldn’t do this when the talks are taking place,” Nai Hongsar, the general secretary of UNFC told the Independence Mon News Agency.
The statement urged the government to immediately withdraw its troops from the affected areas for ceasefire discussions can move forward and a federal union to be established in the future.
The government is continuing “to launch offensives during peace talks” said Nai Hongsar. These attacks are creating tensions and disturbing future dialogue. Maybe they do not “want peace talks” asked the UNFC general secretary.
Since the beginning of April, until now, government troops have been attacking Kachin Independence Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and Shan State Army–North positions, various media have reported. Already three thousand-civilians have been displaced by fighting.
The UNFC is very concerned about the welfare of these civilians forced to flee their home, many with only the clothes on their backs, and reports of human rights violations, including sexual violence waged women by the Tatmadaw (Burma army). The government has yet to respond to this statement.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonrequested for the Burmese government to fully investigate allegations of sexual violence by its soldiers on civilians in a March report made public last week. The report, “Conflict-related Sexual Violence,” detailed the use of sexual violence in 20 countries around the world, which included Burma.
