Brotherhood alliances including Arakan Army not joining military peace talks

Narinjara News, 9 February 2022

Three brotherhood alliances comprising Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Arakan Army (AA) are not entertaining the military council's invitation for peace talks.

TNLA spokesman colonel Tai Kyaw informed Narinjara News that they would not attend

the proposed meeting on 12 February next called on the diamond jubilee of Union Day.

"I have  no plans to attend the meeting. I believe they just asked me to join the Union Day celebrations," said Tai Kyaw.

Arakan Army spokesman Khaing Thukha stated on 7 February that the Military council was yet to make any official contact with them over the meeting.

The military-run newspaper on Monday reported about the invitations to various groups for attaining a lasting peace on the Union Day observations.

"Apart from the groups those are prescribed as terrorist groups, we invite the NCA signatories ethnic armed groups as well as the non–NCA signatories ethnic armed groups for the meeting to find a permanent solution to conflicts,” stated the news item.

The military council expresses its desire to allow the groups a maximum possible freedom for maintaining the cordial ambience to restart the peace talks.

Meanwhile, the State peace negotiation committee met the ethnic armed groups which had signed the NCA 16 times (nine times with NCA ethnic armed groups, seven times with

political parties and two times with religious and peace negotiators). Till date, a total number of 34 meetings were organised, informrf the Nasaka council.

Currently, the fighting between the AA members and Burmese army personnel continues in northern Maungdaw township of Rakhine State. It erupted on 4 February after many months. Hence the situation remains tense.