Ceasefire groups issued a joint statement

DVB ( July 08,2003 )

It is reported that seven ethnic groups which signed the ceasefire agreements with the Burmese military junta, the SPDC issued a joint statement expressing their sorrow for the loss of lives of innocent civilians at the Dipeyin (Tabayin) incident on the 30th of May.

The statement was issued on the 1st of July and the signatories are the Kachin Independent Organisation (KIO), the Kayan New Land Party (KNLP), the Karenni National People’s Liberation Front (KNPLF), the Palaung State Liberation Army (PSLA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Shan State Peace Council (SSCC) and Shan National Shan State Nationalities People’s Liberation Organisation (SNPLO).

The statement includes four points expressing the organisations’ sorrow for the loss of lives at the Dipeyin assault, and it says that the incident damaged the businesses, social affairs, education and health of the majority people of Burma and national solidarity. Therefore, it is necessary that all the current leaders of the country, political and ethnic national leaders should work together to solve the current political problems. In order to solve the problems all sides need to understand the problems with compassion and solve them as soon as possible, adds the statement.

The spokesman for the KIO, U Khun Seng told the DVB about the statement as follows:

U Khun Seng : The statement was issued by the Kachin National Organisation (KNO). After we signed the ceasefire agreement, we gained no political rights and we have been unable to do anything. We are facing many difficulties. The organisation was formed so that we could do political activities. To be frank, the KIO insiders are standing behind Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The KIO has no restrictions on the people’s desires. Personally, I believe that it is not easy to solve the internal problems of Burma with the ethnic nationals of Burma. I think that there will be a civil war soon and the people will rise up everywhere in Burma.

Mai Aik Pone of the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF) a Palaung splinter group said that he fully welcomes the statement of the ceasefire groups:

Mai Aik Pone : I am very glad to hear the statement of the ceasefire groups. I want to say that it should be so. And secondly, they issued statements in support of the formation of the CRPP and the UN’s efforts for the emergence of the tripartite talk. They also stated that they will continue to do their best for the emergence of true peace in Burma. It is also time that they issue statement of their feelings towards the Dipeyin assault on the 30th of May. We are feeling saddened by the inability of the SPDC to work with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the deteriorating situation in Burma. We want to urge the SPDC to start political dialogues and tripartite talk with ethnic nationals as soon as possible.