Fighting rages on despite ceasefire agreements between SPDC and KNU

DVB ( 15 December 2003 )

Despite the oral agreement between the Burmese military junta the SPDC and the Karen National Union (KNU) for a temporary ceasefire, clashes between the two groups are still occurring along Thai-Burma border.

The two sides are unable to have an unconditional ceasefire because a complete agreement is still to be reached between KNU and SPDC leaders, according to a Karen commander, Nerdah Mya.

Nerdah Mya confirmed to DVB that clashes are still raging on sporadically at Brigade 1 & 2 areas of the KNU. Both the KNU and the SPDC are still trying to build trust, he added. He refused to say how the KNU is going to deal with the renegade DKBA troops once the KNU reaches the ceasefire agreement with the SPDC.

‘Both sides have to work hard to build peace in Burma’, insisted the commander. Other KNU allies insisted that the organisation should try to seek the political dialogues with the SPDC because the problems of Burma could not be solved by arm conflicts.

But a Burmese political observer, U Aung Naing Oo warned that the KNU should be unanimous in whatever it is trying to do or else the SPDC would score a propaganda coup by achieving a ceasefire agreement with the rebels and other military allies of the KNU would not be able to withstand the military pressures of the SPDC and cause more political problems among democratic groups.

The KNU and the SPDC have officially have met four times but the regime have been demanding the complete surrender of the KNU and the dialogues have never been successful.