Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief’s Office issued an appeal yesterday to conduct effective peace building works during the ceasefire period.

The appeal issued stated that any organization or person should demand their wishes according to democratic methods when establishing a modern developed democratic nation desired by the entire ethnic nationals and the people. The Tatmadaw believed that finding solutions through discussions and negotiations is the only way to resolve the armed conflicts which have been caused by demanding through force of arm which was the opposite of pursuing the democratic path. Therefore to enable all participants of the peace building process to conduct their works with a high level of trust, an unprecedented unilateral ceasefire for six-months was announced by the Tatmadaw on 21 December 2018 and 30 April 2019.

On 30 June 2019 a third announcement was made as per requirements to extend the ceasefire for two more months. During the first and second ceasefire period of six months ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and their representatives had conducted meetings and negotiations to find a solution and to strengthen and develop the peace building works, it has been found that the progress that the people had expected was not achieved. As the Tatmadaw had initiated the path of peace building works for EAOs to systematically walk down towards multi-party democratic system, it would be necessary for the EAOs are to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) as soon as possible and participate in the peace process by engaging in discussions and negotiations.

Therefore organizations and persons who were involved in the peace building works were urged to use the 2 months ceasefire period conceded by the Tatmadaw to walk down the democratic path in a correct, proper and beneficial manner so as to achieve modernization, development and socio-economic development of the people which was the desire of the entire ethnic nationals and the people, said the Tatmadaw statement. —MNA
(Translated by ZM)