May 5th, 2022
The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) issued a statement on May 5th, claiming that it would not attend the military council’s peace talks.
The KIO responded to Chair of the State Administration Council Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation of the Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs) to the peace talks via the MRTV, on April 22th.
Colonel Naw Bu, spokesperson of the KIO said: “We will not attend the meeting as Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has invited the EROs only. The invitation of the EROs alone is not in conformity with the current political landscape. Myanmar’s problems can be solved only when all stakeholders can participate in the talk.”
“We need to take account of the National Unity Government (NUG) and the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs). We need to talk about them. There were many chances to hold talks with the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and the EROs in the past. Now, the revolution is taking place across the country. It is impossible to hold the talk about the Myanmar crisis without them as the groups have taken up arms.”
There are many people who should be invited to the talks. We usually invite the third party. We also held talks with them. In my view, no good result will come out if the military holds talks with the selected EROs.”
In the statement issued by the KIO’s central committee on May 5th, the KIO received Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation letter dated May 2nd via Lt-Gen Min Naung.
The invitation letter did not describe the facts about the invitation of all stakeholders and seeking the solutions to political problems through dialogues.
“In his address, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said he wanted to end armed conflicts. The reason why the people have taken up arms is politics. We need to solve the problems by seeking the solution. But his speech did not describe the plan to hold political dialogues and seek the solution to the problem by political means. It is found that he talked about armed conflict. We cannot solve the Myanmar crisis without solving this problem,” Colonel Naw Bu said.
At the 13th press conference of the military council on April 27th, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Spokesperson of the military council said many EROs are likely to attend the peace talks.
The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the KIO responded that they would not attend the talk as all stakeholders were not invited to the talks.
Sent by the NMG.