Northern Alliance may sign bilateral ceasefire agreements if Myanmar government agrees to its proposal for China to participate in dialogues on armed conflict, says U Lamai Gum Ja from Peace-talk Creation Group

News Desk

The Northern Alliance may sign bilateral ceasefire agreements if the Myanmar government agrees to its proposal to establish a committee for conflict resolution that includes China and the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee, U Lamai Gum Ja from the Peace-talk Creation Group said yesterday.

The Myanmar government and the Kachin Independence Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and Arakan Army have been holding talks on bilateral ceasefire agreements for more than a year.

Lamai Gum Ja said that if an agreement was reached on three main points proposed by the Northern Alliance, the possibility of signing ceasefire agreements would improve.

The three points that need agreement are to create a mechanism for conflict resolution that includes China and the FPNCC, the release of people detained by the government and ethnic armed groups, and a halt to arresting people who have had contact with ethnic armed groups under the Unlawful Associations Act.
Northern Alliance members have been discussing with the government the participation of China as a witness to the signing of ceasefire agreements, Lamai Gum Ja said.

The four ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar government met five times during 2019, at Muse, Mongla and Kentung townships, and in China.

The next meeting will take after February 10, the PCG said.