KNU Talks Post-Ceasefire Peace Process With KNPP

The KNU is one of the eight initial signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement and has promoted the pact at peace meetings. The KNPP has preliminary ceasefire with the government, but has not inked the NCA.

Khu Hte Bu, a central committee member of the KNPP, said the aim of the meeting was to hear about the experiences of signatory ethnic armed organizations, especially in terms of carrying out the peace process and implementing the NCA.

Over 30 people, including leaders of the KNPP’s central committee, heads of districts and departments and representatives of Karenni civil society organizations attended the meeting, which was held from August 1 to 3.

KNU joint secretary P’doh Saw Hla Tun attended the meeting on the second and third day.
“The KNPP wanted to know about how the peace process is being implemented by the KNU,” said P’doh Saw Hla Tun.

During the meeting, he discussed the various peace process mechanisms, including, the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), and addressed issues relating to the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC) and the national-level political dialogues.

Khu Hte Bu said the KNPP leaders and the Karenni social organizations feel more prepared after hearing about the KNU’s experiences and challenges.

This was the first time the central committee leaders of the KNU and the KNPP met to exchange views on the peace process.

The KNPP is part of the United Nationalities Federal Council, an ethnic armed group alliance currently negotiating preconditions with the government before each of the members decides whether or not to join the NCA. The KNPP was one of the five ethnic armed groups that the state counsellor announced in March were going to sign the NCA. The groups disputed the announcement, and responded that they had yet to reach a final decision.