Ceasefires in Myanmar: Difference between revisions
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==Agreements== |
==Agreements== |
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The signed ceasefire agreements have been nothing more than temporary military truces to suspend fighting and preserve the status quo, allowing the rebel groups to retain administrative control of their territories. Weaker or splinter rebel groups typically wield forfeit their territories to the government.<ref name="tni"/> |
The signed ceasefire agreements have been nothing more than temporary military truces to suspend fighting and preserve the status quo, allowing the rebel groups to retain administrative control of their territories. Weaker or splinter rebel groups typically wield forfeit their territories to the government.<ref name="tni"/> |
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In April 2009, a government entourage, led by Lieutenant-General Ye Myint, met with the Wa, Shan and Kokang rebel groups, and established a blueprint to absorb rebel groups' armies and transition them to the command of the [[Tatmadaw]], a necessary qualification of the [[Constitution of Burma|2008 Constitution]], to allow the ethnic groups to participate in the 2010 elections.<ref name="wai">{{cite news|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=16691|title=Border Guard Force Plan Leads to End of Ceasefire|last=Wai Moe|date=31 August 2009|work=The Irrawaddy|accessdate=21 March 2012}}</ref> This blueprint would establish the Border Guard Forces (BGF), with each battalion made of 326 soldiers, including 18 officers and 3 commanders (one of whom would be from the Tatmadaw).<ref name="wai"/> A specific BGF would only be deployed within its territory and be paid the same salaries as normal soldiers.<ref name="wai"/> The deadline was set at June 2010. 4 rebel groups, namely the New Democratic Army - Kachin (NDAK), Kachin Defense Army (4th Brigade of the KIA), Pa-O National Organization (PNO) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, accepted the transition's terms.<ref name="ndf">{{cite web|url=http://www.burmapartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/NDF-on-CFG-Eng-March-2010.pdf|title=NDF Report on Ceasefire Groups Resisting SPDC’s Pressure and Instability|date=7 March 2010|work=National Democratic Front (Burma)|accessdate=21 March 2012|location=Mae Sot, Thailand}}</ref> |
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==List of ceasefires== |
==List of ceasefires== |
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Revision as of 05:20, 21 March 2012
Ceasefires in Burma have been heavily utilized by the Burmese government as a policy to contain ethnic rebel groups and create tentative truces. The first ceasefire was arranged by the State Law and Order Restoration Council in 1989, specifically spearheaded by Khin Nyunt, then the chief of Military Intelligence, with the Kokang-led Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which had recently split from the Communist Party of Burma due to internal conflicts.[1]
Background
Since 1948, the government of Burma has been fighting dozens of ethnic minority rebel groups, particularly over grievances regarding autonomy and minority rights, in what is regarded as one of the longest ongoing civil wars in the world.[1] A year earlier, in 1947, several ethnic organization leaders had formally signed the Panglong Agreement, a compact that gave internal autonomy to minority-dominated Frontier Areas (the Kachin, Chin, and Shan), with Burman leaders. However, these promises were not fulfilled when the country formally gained independence in 1948, leading to the fighting that has continued to this day.
In the 1980s, rebel groups controlled most of the country's peripheries (primarily the Burmese states, not divisions). The two major organizations fighting against the Burma Socialist Programme Party-led government, were 2 umbrella groups, the pro-Chinese Communist Party of Burma (allied to local Kokang Chinese, Wa and Shan groups), based along the Chinese-Burmese border and the pro-West National Democratic Force (made up of ethnic Mon, Karen, Karenni and Shan opposition groups), based along the Thai-Burmese border.[1]
By the late 1980s, the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) had weakened considerably, because of waning Chinese financial support and internal strife. During the 1988 Uprising, the CPB failed to seize the opportunity to invoke political change. A month later, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), a council of military men, staged a coup d'etat.
Consequently, ethnic Wa and Kokang armed forces led a mutinee against CPB, forming the United Wa State Party (UWSP) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) respectively.[1]
SLORC used this opening to arrange ceasefires with the armed rebel groups that had just mutineed, under a policy designed by Khin Nyunt, who was then the Chief of Military Intelligence.[1]
Agreements
The signed ceasefire agreements have been nothing more than temporary military truces to suspend fighting and preserve the status quo, allowing the rebel groups to retain administrative control of their territories. Weaker or splinter rebel groups typically wield forfeit their territories to the government.[1]
In April 2009, a government entourage, led by Lieutenant-General Ye Myint, met with the Wa, Shan and Kokang rebel groups, and established a blueprint to absorb rebel groups' armies and transition them to the command of the Tatmadaw, a necessary qualification of the 2008 Constitution, to allow the ethnic groups to participate in the 2010 elections.[2] This blueprint would establish the Border Guard Forces (BGF), with each battalion made of 326 soldiers, including 18 officers and 3 commanders (one of whom would be from the Tatmadaw).[2] A specific BGF would only be deployed within its territory and be paid the same salaries as normal soldiers.[2] The deadline was set at June 2010. 4 rebel groups, namely the New Democratic Army - Kachin (NDAK), Kachin Defense Army (4th Brigade of the KIA), Pa-O National Organization (PNO) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, accepted the transition's terms.[3]
List of ceasefires
Since 1989, the Burmese government has signed the following ceasefire agreements[4][5]
| Organization | Region | Effective date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) | Special Region 1, Shan State | 21 March 1989 | Kokang-led, split from the Communist Party of Burma |
| United Wa State Army (UWSA) | Special Region 2, Shan State | 9 May 1989 | Also known as the Myanmar National Solidarity Party, split from the Communist Party of Burma |
| National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) | Special Region 4, Shan State | 30 June 1989 | |
| Shan State Army (SSA) | Special Region 3, Shan State | 2 September 1989 | |
| New Democratic Army (Kachin) (NDA-K) | Special Region 1, Northeast Kachin State | 15 December 1989 | |
| Kachin Defence Army (KDA) | Special Region 5, Northern Shan State | 13 January 1991 | Former 4th Brigade of the Kachin Independence Organization |
| Pa-O National Organization (PNO) | Special Region 6, Southern Shan State | 11 April 1991 | |
| Palaung State Liberation Army (PSLA) | Special Region 7, Northern Shan State | 21 April 1991 | |
| Kayan National Guard (KNG) | Special Region 1, Kayah State | 27 February 1992 | |
| Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) | Special Region 2, Kachin State | 1 October 1993 | |
| Karenni State Nationalities Peoples' Liberation Front (KNPLF) | Special Region 2, Kayah (Karenni) State | 9 May 1994 | |
| Kayan New Land Party (KNLP) | Special Region 3, Kayah (Karenni) State | 26 July 1994 | |
| Shan State Nationalities Peoples' Liberation Organization (SSNPLO) | Southern Shan State | 9 October 1994 | |
| New Mon State Party (NMSP) | Mon State | 29 June 1995 | |
| Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) | Karen State | 1995 | |
| Mongko Region Defence Army (MRDA) | Shan State | 1995 | Split from Myanmar National Democracy Alliance Army |
| Shan State National Army (SSNA) | Shan State | 1995 | |
| Karenni National Defence Army (KNDA) | Karen State | 1996 | Split from KNPP |
| Karen Peace Force (KPF) | Karen State | 1997 | Former 16th Battalion of the Karen National Union |
| Communist Party of Burma (Arakan Province)(CPB) | Rakhine State | 1997 | |
| Mon Mergui Army (MMA) | Mon State | 1997 | Split from New Mon State Party |
| KNU Special Region Group Toungoo (KNU) | Bago Division | 1997 | |
| Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) | Kayah State | 2005 | Ceasefire broke down within 3 months |
| Shan State Army – South (SSA-South) | Shan State | 2006 | |
| New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDAK) | Kachin State | 2007 | |
| Kayan National Liberation Army (KNLA) | Karen State | 2007 | Former 7th Battalion of the Karen National Union |
| Democratic Karen Buddhist Amy (DKBA) 3rd Brigade | Karen State | 3 November 2011[6] | Fighting resumed on 19 February 2012.[7] |
| Kaloh Htoo Baw armed group | Karen State | 05 November 2011[8] | Former DKBA |
| Chin National Front Karen National Union Shan State Army-South |
- | 19 November 2011[9] | Informal ceasefire agreement. Despite a ceasefire agreement in place, fighting is still occurring between the Tatmadaw and SSA-South rebel troops, as of March 2012.[10] |
| Chin National Front (CNF) | Chin State | 8 January 2012[11] | |
| Karen National Union (KNU)[12] | Karen State | 7 February 2012[13] | |
| Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) | Shan State | 17 January 2012[14] | Political arm of Shan State Army |
| Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) | Shan State | 28 January 2012[15] | Political arm of the Shan State Amry |
| New Mon State Party (NMSP) | Mon State | 31 January 2012[16] | |
| Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) | Kayah State | 6 March 2012[17] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f Kramer, Tom (July 2009). "Neither War Nor Peace: The Future of Cease-fire Agreements in Burma" (PDF). Amsterdam: Transnational Institute.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b c Wai Moe (31 August 2009). "Border Guard Force Plan Leads to End of Ceasefire". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ "NDF Report on Ceasefire Groups Resisting SPDC's Pressure and Instability" (PDF). National Democratic Front (Burma). Mae Sot, Thailand. 7 March 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ "List of Cease-fire Agreements with the Junta". The Irrawaddy. 1 January 2004. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ "Cease-Fire Agreements with the Junta – Women Excluded from the Process" (PDF). Global Justice Center. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ Saw Yan Naing (4 November 2011). "DKBA Brigade 5 Reaches Ceasefire with Naypyidaw". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ Saw Yan Naing (23 February 2012). "DKBA Ceasefire Breaks Down". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ "Kayin State peace making group, Kaloh Htoo Baw armed group (former DKBA) sign initial peace agreement". New Light of Myanmar. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Saw Yan Naing (21 November 2012). "KNU and SSA-South Informally Agree Ceasefire with Govt". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ Lawi Weng (20 March 2012). "Govt Troops Clash with SSA-South Despite Truce". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ "Initial peace agreement inked between State Level Peace-making Group and CNF". New Light of Myanmar. 8 January 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Mydans, Seth (12 January 2012). New York Times [Burmese Government and Ethnic Rebel Group Sign Cease-Fire Burmese Government and Ethnic Rebel Group Sign Cease-Fire]. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Kayin State peace-making group, KNU/KNLA Peace Council sign initial peace agreement". New Light of Myanmar. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "Union level peace-making group, RCSS/SSA peace-making group sign 11 initial agreement". New Light of Myanmar. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "Peace agreement signed between Union level peace-making group and Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP)/Shan State Army peace-making group". New Light of Myanmar. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "Mon State level peace-making group, NMSP peace-making group sign initial agreement". New Light of Myanmar. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "State level peace-making group, KNPP peace-making group sign initial agreement". New Light of Myanmar. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.