Myanmar Junta Holding Talks With Leaders of Three Powerful Ethnic Armed Groups

By The Irrawaddy 24 March 2023

Myanmar’s army regime has been holding talks since Wednesday with three highly effective ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) based mostly within the north and northeast of the nation, in accordance with junta media.

Leaders of the United Wa State Military (UWSA), the Shan State Progress Occasion (SSPP) and the Nationwide Democratic Alliance Military (NDAA) are assembly the junta’s Nationwide Solidarity and Peace Negotiation Committee, led by Lieutenant-Basic Yar Pyae, within the capital Naypyitaw.

On the agenda are regional improvement and stability in areas managed by the three EAOs, the election proposed by the junta, the holding of a ‘peace convention’ between the regime and EAOs, and amending key provisions within the military-drafted 2008 Structure, in accordance with junta-controlled media.

The talks observe final week’s assembly between the UWSA, NDAA and China’s particular envoy to Myanmar, Deng Xijun, in Kunming, China.

On March 15-16, the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is made up of seven EAOs together with the UWSA, NDAA and SSPP, met in Panghsang, the capital of Wa State, an autonomous enclave in Shan State run by the UWSA. The opposite FPNCC members are the Myanmar Nationwide Democratic Alliance Military (MNDAA), Arakan Military (AA), Ta’ang Nationwide Liberation Military (TNLA) and Kachin Independence Military (KIA).

“We welcome and assist China’s involvement to finish the home conflicts in Myanmar,” the FPNCC stated in an announcement following the March 15-16 assembly, including that it might “proceed working along with China’s authorities to enhance the steadiness of border areas.”

Deng has met FPNCC members thrice since his appointment in December, in addition to assembly junta chief Min Aung Hlaing twice. China’s envoy has been urging all FPNCC members to carry talks with the regime. Thus far, the MNDAA, AA, TNLA and KIA have rejected collaborating within the junta’s peace talks.

Since his appointment, Deng has apparently succeeded in persuading EAOs to not battle the Myanmar army alongside the Myanmar-China frontier, which late final month enabled the regime to maneuver round 3,000 troops based mostly close to the border in Shan State to strengthen its battalions combating in central and southeastern Myanmar.