KNU chief alarmed at war waste
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Major General Saw Issac Po from the Karen National Union (KNU) says peace talks are essential to end poverty as natural resources are being squandered on arms instead of development.
Saw Issac Po addressed the first day of the Union Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC)'s third meeting held at Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon yesterday.
"About 20 or 30 years ago when I was young we never saw heavy weapons. What I knew at that time was that every time an artillery shell was fired, it was worth about 10 bags of rice," said Saw Issac Po.
"To defend ourselves, we bought old bulldozers, which we covered in iron sheets. They protected us. But the Chinese people who sold the iron sheets became rich. I don't know how much the government has spent [on war]."
He said forests were cut down to fund the fighting.
"It is sad that all the funds derived from the sales of natural resources were lost as we fight each other instead of spending it on development," said Saw Issac Po.
Peace talks were the way forward, he said.
The JMC is formed with 26 representatives. Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae from the government forces acts as chairman with vice chairmen Saw Issac Po and civilian representative Pyae Sone.
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