YANGON: Peace talks between Myanmar’s military and ethnic minority insurgents may collapse if the army scales up operations in rebel-controlled areas, an organisation representing rebel groups said yesterday.
Various rebels groups have battled the central government in Myanmar since shortly after its independence in 1948. While the government has struck ceasefires with almost all factions, clashes occasionally flare up.
Over the past couple of weeks, fighting has broken out in Karen state in the east, on the border with Thailand, and in Shan state to the north, on the frontier with China. A standoff between rebels and the military was reported in Kachin state, which also borders China.
A representative of a coalition of rebel groups said the fighting could scupper peace negotiations that the government hopes will result in a national ceasefire agreement before a general election next year.
“If military operations continue for a few more weeks or months that could encourage all the armed groups to go back to war again,” said Khu Oo Reh, general secretary of the United Nationalities Federal Council, which represents 11 rebel groups.
The latest round of peace talks between the semi-civilian government, which took over in 2011 after nearly 50 years of military rule, and the guerrilla factions ended on September 27 without agreement. Reuters
