EAOs Condemn Military Coup While Pledging Commitment To Peace Process
By Network Media Group
Friday, February 5, 2021
Ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) that are signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) released a statement through its Peace Process Steering Committee (PPST) that condemned the coup the day after the military took power but said they won’t abandon the NCA.
“We don’t accept using violence to solve a political crisis…Political problems must be solved by political means,” Col Khun Okker, the PPST spokesperson, told NMG.
Despite condemning the Tatmadaw’s takeover of the country, Col Khun Okker told NMG that the EAOs still support the NCA. “We’ll continue to move forward with the peace process because it can’t be stopped regardless of whatever situation we face.”
The EAOs demanded for the Burma Army to release the remaining NLD leaders still being detained after it staged a coup d’etat on February 1, while requesting assistance from the international community to resolve the crisis affecting the South East Asian nation.
Col Khun Okker said they’ll support the decision of the United Nations (UN) Security Council but said that releasing a statement isn’t enough. “The international community needs to get involved to solve this political crisis. We can’t not solve this problem without its help.”
During an emergency meeting this Tuesday about the military coup in Burma, the UN Security Council couldn’t agree on a joint statement after China and Russia didn’t support it.
After the Tatmadaw refused to concede to the NLD’s landslide victory during the November 8 election, it arrested State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma’s president, Win Myint, in the early dawn. Myint Swe was temporarily appointed as the president and he declared a state of emergency, transferring legislative, executive and judicial power to Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.
The NCA-EAOs include All Burma Students’ Democratic Front, Karen National Union, Chin National Front, Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council, Pa-O National Liberation Organization, Arakan Liberation Party, Restoration Council of Shan State, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, New Mon State Party, and Lahu Democratic Union.
