CNI News

5 Jan 2023

As its troops are overstretched, the Myanmar junta has declared a one-year ceasefire, Rakhine Politician U Pe Than told the CNI.

Despite declaring ceasefires, the junta launches operations by making various excuses, he added.

Security forces on duty. (GETTY IMAGES)

U Pe Than told the CNI, "They are just paying lip service and it doesn't mean anything but they will launch military operations and halt them when they think it is necessary to do so to when their troops are overstretched. Another factor is that they are creating a good image that they want peace and cooperating with ethnic armed groups as the 2023 elections are around the corner. They have often declared ceasefires again and again but armed clashes have erupted in the entire country. They are just creating an image that they want peace but they have to respond to the attacks of the opposition."

The Office of the commander-in-chief of defence services announced on 31st December, 2023 that it extended the ceasefire from 1st January, 2023 to 31st December, 2023.

As the military strategies have changed since the end of the Second World War, the junta is fighting against the resistance forces by saving its strength, Director U Thein Tun Oo of the Strategic Studies told the CNI.

A commando team. (EPA)

He said, "Whenever we extended the ceasefire, the EAOs said our troops were overstretched. Military strategies and tacts have changed significantly since the end of World War II. Since then, militaries have saved their troops and heavily depended on weapons, smart weapons, precision weapons and guided weapons. So, ways of thinking that the ceasefire was announced because troops are overstretched is outdated. I think that they are not capable of thinking properly. I don't want to say much but it is quite opposite to the situation on the ground."

The Myanmar military has been announcing ceasefires for at least 21 times within more than four years since 21st December, 2018.