By Htoo Thant / Myanmar Times | May 30, 2018

If the country’s president provides instructions regarding the battles taking place in Kachin State, the Tatmadaw (military) will abide by them, said Brigadier General Aung Kyaw Hoe, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defence.

When former president U Thein Sein instructed it to halt offensives, the military obeyed. It will also follow new President U Win Myint’s instructions, he said.

“The Tatmadaw is under the leadership of the state. The president is the leader of the state. If he gives an order, it will be followed. There’s no reason not to,” said Brigadier General Aung Kyaw Hoe.

He said the conflict started in Kachin when the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) entered a public area to attack the government administration. The military responded to protect the state and lives and property of the people.

Fighting has been going on between the military and KIA since 2011, when a 17-year ceasefire agreement was broken. Due to the conflict, about 100,000 residents have fled their homes, according to the United Nations.

Violence between the KIA and military is ongoing and the armed ethnic group is allied with the United Wa State Party, another powerful armed ethnic group.

“If

[armed ethnic groups] choose to sign the NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement], peace will be achieved,” said Brigadier General Aung Kyaw Hoe.

Along with the change of name of the peace conference from the Union Peace Conference under U Thein Sein’s government to the 21st Century Panglong Conference under the current government, the military is still cooperating with the peace process, he said.

The government will meet with armed ethnic groups at the third session of the 21st Century Panglong Conference, which has been postponed to June.

Members of the military who committed crimes in the past year, including senior military officers and 46 soldiers, have faced legal action, officials said Tuesday.

They did not specify the military ranks of those who were disciplined or the crimes they committed. The military would not reveal all the court cases, only some, said Colonel Aung Khin Thein.

“The Tatmadaw is releasing cases that should be known in the public interest,” he said, refusing to elaborate on the criteria for the release of the cases or on the number of those kept classified.

Over 5000 peole have been forced to flee their homes since the clashes began in April.

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This article originally appeared on Myanmar Times on May 30, 2018.

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