SAW YAN NAING and LAWI WENG, The Irrawaddy, Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Karen National Union (KNU)—Burma’s longest running rebel group which has fought for autonomy over six decades—travels to their government-controlled state capital of Pa-an on Wednesday to engage in ceasefire talks with a Naypyidaw peace delegation.
It is the first time KNU representatives have traveled to Burmese government territory since 2004 when a Karen delegation, led by then chairman Gen Saw Bo Mya, went to Rangoon for ceasefire talks with the military junta.
Nineteen representatives from the KNU, led by its military chief Gen Mutu Say Poe, will participate in the new talks. Burma’s Minster for Railway Aung Min will lead the government peace delegation.
The 1947-founded KNU formed its military wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), in 1949 and started to resist the government in search of greater autonomy. They have never signed an official ceasefire agreement with the government.
KNU central committee members including Saw David Taw, Saw Roger Khin, Saw Ah Toe, Aung Maung Aye, Saw Kwe Htoo Win, Brig-Gen Saw Johnny will accompany the peace delegation along with representatives from all seven KNLA Brigades except Brigade 5.
“We will focus on a sustainable ceasefire and what conditions both sides should obey,” said David Taw, adding that forced labor, extortion and human rights abuses against civilians will also be discussed.
A verbal ceasefire agreement was once reached in 2004 when late KNU leader Bo Mya held talks with former government spy chief Khin Nyunt in Rangoon, but the uneasy truce soon broke down.
“Karen resistance has existed for more than 60 years. Karen people across the world worry about our talks, but we want to say that the situation is changing. If the government really wants to make peace, it is time to sign an agreement for the sake of the Karen people,” said David Taw.
“Even if we don’t sign a ceasefire agreement this time, we do hope to sign one in the future one day,” he added.
The Burmese government's current approach of engaging in peace talks is different from previous occasions as these were monitored and controlled by junta leaders who were still in power, said David Taw.
Meanwhile, the KNU instructed the KNLA on Jan. 2 not to open fire on government troops during peace talks with Naypyidaw, according to Karen sources.
Capt Ten Nay of KNLA Brigade 6 told The Irrawaddy: “They [KNU leaders] sent a telegraph to us on Jan. 2 saying not to start fighting or disturb the government troops while they were traveling along roads in Karen areas during the peace talks.
“We all agreed to let them talk with the government in order to find a political solution because during 60 years of fighting there has been no local development in our community—either economic, social, educational or religious.
“As a consequence of fighting over 60 years, our Karen people have been suffered a lot of human rights abuses,” said Capt Ten Nay.
Due to the ceasefire order by the KNU, the government's Light Infantry Battalion No. 283, under the Military Southeast Command, arrived safely yesterday in Three Pagodas Pass from Moulmein without being attacked.
Government troops which travel the same KNLA-controlled route often face ambushes from rebel forces.
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