The 10 ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) met on Thursday to discuss strategies to stop the Myanmar military’s ongoing violent crackdown on anti-coup protesters throughout the country.
The EAOs are also working toward establishing common ground around future dialogue with the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) and the General Strike Committee (GSC), according to meeting attendees.
EAO leaders present at the March 11 meeting of the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) told Myanmar Now that the NCA signatories were discussing ways to prevent the ruling junta from shooting demonstrators.
“We are worried and trying to find ways to immediately stop the [junta’s] shootings, beatings and killings,” PPST member Colonel Khun Okkar said on Thursday. “We have yet to reach a common ground on the matter related to the CRPH and GSC. Some results will come out tomorrow.”
Another EAO leader told Myanmar Now on the condition of anonymity that most of the NCA-signatory EAOs were open to communicating with the CRPH and GSC.
“Matters related to recognition and political cooperation can be put aside for a while. But there will be communication as a form of equal coordination,” the leader said, adding, “it is generally assumed that there is no such thing as a preferential emphasis for one side.”
There have reportedly been concerns among some EAOs that it could be dangerous for the PPST to prioritize coordination with the CRPH and GSC.
“We were a dialogue partner of the military. We were a dialogue partner of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Now we cannot stand the people’s suffering. The main discussion is how to calm the situation down. We are thinking of the plight of the citizens,” another EAO leader said.
The PPST suspended all political dialogue with the military on February 20 in objection to the coup carried out on February 1.
Among the 10 signatory EAOs, the Karen National Union, the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Chin National Front have already held separate talks with CRPH representative Dr. Sasa.
The other seven signatories include the All Burma Students Democratic Front, Arakan Liberation Party, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council, Lahu Democratic Union, New Mon State Party, and the Pa-O National Liberation Organization.
