The military council on November 9th objected to the statement issued by the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) of ten signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on November 5th, according to the PPST.
Para-6 included in the PPST’s statement issued after the meeting said: “The PPST strongly condemns the military council’s targeted attacks on houses and religious buildings.”
The military council warned the PPST about it and called on the PPST to abide by the provisions of the NCA.
Col Khun Okkar, a leading committee member of the PPST told the KIC: “We officially received that letter on November 9th. The PPST has a plan to make an official reply. The PPST has three leaders. We will make an official reply after making a discussion on how to deal with it on coming Monday. I don’t want to make any comment about that letter. The military council is doing its work.”
In the letter sent through the National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee, the military council said the PPST’s statement amounts to accusing them. Targeted attacks on houses and religious buildings are intentionally carried out by terrorists only.
In dealing with the State’s defence, security and peace and tranquility affairs, Tatmadaw avoids intentional attacks on houses, religious buildings, hospitals, schools and the public areas in the fight against terrorists in villages and towns. And there is no policy and directive to do so.
Tatmadaw is repairing the buildings destroyed by the terrorists, in cooperation with the public, the letter says.
The PPST’s one-sided accusation against the Tatmadaw after reading groundless news shared by the terrorists on social media without knowing the incidents exactly, amounts to violating Para-5 (f) of the Chapter-5 of the NCA.
“It is impossible to argue with them. There will be hundreds of rejection letters if we put our finger on it. Because the military highlights the NCA. We will make a reply letter as they have no clear view,” Col Khun Okkar added.
In its statement issued on November 5th, the PPST strongly condemned the military council’s targeted attacks on the houses and religious buildings in Sagaing Region, Magway Region and Karenni State including Htantalan in Chin State, and called on the Tatmadaw to take stern action against those who committed the incident.
The media covered the news that the military council’s troops burned and destroyed more than 160 houses and two churches in Htantalan Township on October 29th and 30th. The military council accused the People’s Defence Force (PDF) of carrying out arson. In turn, the PDF accused the military of committing the incident.
Video and photo footage about the military council’s arsons and destruction are circulated on social media.
The U.S. and the Karen National Union (KNU), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the northern alliance group formed with the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)-Kokang issued statements, strongly condemning the military council’s acts.
In the military council’s letter, Para-5 (f) of the Chapter-3 of the NCA said: “Avoid hostile propaganda, defamatory, untruthful or derogatory statements, both within and outside the country.”
The leaked letter circulated on social media is not an official statement. It is just a letter sent between relevant organizations secretly.
The PPST is formed with top leaders of ten NCA Signatories—the Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Karen National Liberation Army/Peace Council KNLA/PC, the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU).
Sent by the KIC.