No official reply received from SPDC

January 16 (NMG): Burma’s military government asked one of the rebel groups, the KNPP (Karenni National Progressive Party) to contact the Burmese Embassy in Thailand if the KNPP wants to discuss a cease-fire with the government, the secretary of the KNPP Khu Remin Htoo told NMG after receiving a telephone call from a negotiator.

On December 26th, 2003, when a peace-mediator delegation from Kayah State met a delegation of KNPP, the Burmese government told the KNPP that if the KNPP wants to discuss cease-fire, the venue would be either in Rangoon or Loikaw. However, the KNPP wanted to receive an official letter from the government regarding the message for talks.

“The KNPP used to be a cease-fire group since 1995. Because of this fact, no official letter is needed to talk with the KNPP, further, Gen Khin Nyunt already sent a letter to the Prime Minister of KNPP Gen Aung Than Lay. If the KNPP wants to talk with the junta, the KNPP needs to contact the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok and discuss necessary travel arrangements,” a mediator Say Reh (a) U Hla Pe replied to KNPP on behalf of the regime.

Khu Remin Htoo also added the KNPP is not ready to respond to the government. He said, “Members of KNPP Central Committee (CC) KNPP are currently busy, and we could not respond to the government right now. When we hold the CC meeting at the end of this month and discussed the relevant situation, then we will reply to the regime via telephone.”

The KNPP have been fighting for their "National Defense" against the successive military government for several decades, since Burma got Independence. Though the KNPP reached a cease-fire agreement with the military government on 1995, it was soon breached and the bloodshed continues after few months.

After battles between two sides broke out, at least four meeting had secretly taken place between negotiators and KNPP, the KNPP secretary revealed.

In the meantime, a delegation from the Karen National Union (KNU), led by Gen Mya, representing one of the major ethnic groups, is now at Rangoon for a possible cease-fire talk with the military regime. They have been in Rangoon since January 15th.