Clashes 'put peace talks in jeopardy'

Renewed fighting between Myanmar’s army and Kachin insurgents could scupper national ceasefire talks scheduled for next month, rebel leaders warned yesterday.

The army’s latest offensive against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the northern state of Kachin has claimed at least 22 dead, according to state media reports over the weekend. The fighting has displaced more than 3,000 Kachin civilians who have fled to neighbouring Shan state, said Khuensai Jaiyen, editor of the rebel-controlled Shan News Agency.

The renewed fighting threatens to derail the government’s plan to hold national ceasefire talks next month with representatives of 16 main rebel ethnic minority groups, and reach a final accord.

“We must review the meeting schedule next month if the fighting continues,” said Naing Hantha, a leader of the Mon ethnic group.

The government of President Thein Sein has signed separate ceasefire agreements with the main insurgent groups as part of his campaign to earn the acceptance of the international community. The KIA, which has been the target of an army offensive since 2011,is the only large rebel group that has still refused to sign a ceasefire deal.

A national agreement with all the rebels is seen as an important step towards securing peace in the hinterlands before a general election planned next year.

“The government should not behave like this at a time we are all trying to reach an agreement for a nationwide ceasefire,” said General Gun Maw, deputy chief of staff of the KIA.

“Do they pressure us to sign the ceasefire with them by getting the upper hand in battle?,” Gun Maw said in an online interview while visiting the United States. “If so, I want to say clearly that it will not work.”

Besides attacking the KIA, the Myanmar army also launched an offensive against the Taang National Liberation Army, a small faction of Shan ethnic rebels, in the eastern part of the Shan State last month, sources said.

Myanmar is an ethnically diverse country with minority groups comprising an estimated 40 per cent of the population. More than a dozen insurgent groups have been fighting the central government for semi-autonomy in their traditional homelands since the country gained independence from the British in 1948.