An interview with the General-Secretary of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP).
March 25th, 2022
Although the news has emerged of the military council’s invitations of the ethnic armed revolutionary organizations to the 77th Anniversary Armed Forces Days, some organizations don’t get any information about it.
The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) said it has no plan to attend the ceremony even if the military invites it. The Network Media Group interviewed U Aung San Myint, General Secretary-2 of the KNPP about it.
Q: Does the military invite the KNPP to the 77th Anniversary Armed Forces Day scheduled for 27th March? Does the KNPP have a plan to attend it?
A: We are not invited. We have no plan to attend it due to the current political and military situations.
Q: Why does the military council invite the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs)? What kinds of impact will it have in terms of military and politics if the EAOs attend it?
A: Our EAOs need to think too much. The current situations in the country are not the affairs of a single race or a single organization. This is the affair of our entire people. We have been living under oppressive rule for more than 70 years. The main purpose is to overthrow the military council and remove these deeply-rooted emotions. The military’s invitations to the meetings and talks aim to save face in the international arena in terms of politics. It is just to show that the military is working on the negotiation path. We need to know the fact that the military is in no mood to build up a federal democratic union aspired by our ethnics. I want to say that the organizations need to think whether they should attend it or not by paying attention to the national affairs rather than the affairs of a single organization.
Q: As you mentioned earlier, what is the military council’s other purpose in addition to the military’s efforts to hold talks with the ethnic armed revolutionary organizations?
A: The military faces disunity inside the army and suffers heavy losses during the military operations in Karenni State. If the military continues to maintain the ceasefire with some EAOs, the military can mainly increase its deployments in the military operation areas. The military may face many difficulties if all areas become military operation areas. This is military affairs.
Q: What is the impact in terms of politics?
A: Now, in terms of politics, the international community is pushing for seeking the solution to the problem through dialogues and coordination. According to the ASEAN’s five-point consensus, the ASEAN is pushing all concerned to seek the solution by peaceful means. So, the military gets a lot of profits in terms of military and politics if the EAOs attend the meetings. For us, no profits will come out. We are unable to make an approach to building up the federal democratic union we want. We have already got experience from the previous peace talks.
Q: Do you have anything to add about the military council’s invitation to the Armed Forces Day ceremony?
A: Nowadays, we need to make harmonious efforts to achieve this revolution in order to overthrow the military dictator and build up a future federal union.
Sent by the NMG.
