Myanmar’s army announced on 21 December suspension of all military actions against armed groups which are operating in five military command regions for over four months until 30 April, 2019.

Myanmar officers (Source: UCANews)

According to an announcement of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services, during the military's non-operation period, ethnic armed groups in respective operation areas are to negotiate for ceasefire and peace with the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre.

The army assumed that during the period, it may also need to negotiate with all those remaining non-ceasefire signatory armed groups scattered in the northern, northeastern, eastern, middle-eastern and triangle military command areas to sign the Nationwide Cease fire Accord (NCA).

The announcement called on all armed groups to stick to their four-point promise agreed under the military's six-point peace policy and not to take advantage out of the agreements as well as not to create burden on local people.

The army also pledged to cooperate for and take care of the repatriation of displaced people, who fled the conflict areas, back to their homes.

The military's announcement came in response to a joint statement issued on December 12 by the non-ceasefire signatory Northern Alliance Ethnic Forces, comprising three ethnic armed groups, in which the armed groups voiced support for the government's efforts for national reconciliation and nationwide peace.

The three forces, namely the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA), expressed their desire to join hands with government forces to settle military dispute and political matters through dialogue.

In order to realise peace as early as possible and create a status of peace, the three alliance forces hoped for the suspension of military action to pave way for political engagement to achieve national reconciliation and peace. 

So far, 10 ethnic armed groups have signed the NCA with the government since it was initiated in October 2015.

There remains mainly seven Northern Alliance armed groups which have not yet signed the NCA. Of them, three issued the 12 December joint statement.

(Source: VNA)