CNI News

17 September 2024

EAOs have changed their ways of thinking as time goes by, Col.Saw Kyaw Nyunt, spokesperson of the 7 EAO Alliance, told CNI News. 

EAOs' way of thinking was to build a federal union and while the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement was drafted, although the way of thinking was to build a federal union, they have had new ways of thinking, he said.

" When almost all the EAOs drafted the NCA together, their negotiated agreement was to build a federal union. But as time goes by, some more ways of thinking have emerged. Since the NCA started in 2013-14, it's been a long time. It's no wonder that some more ways of thinking have emerged. Effect emerged from cause which we must accept. It's the reality." said Col. Saw Kyaw Nyunt.

All the ethnic groups in Myanmar should establish the country after finding an answer for the political problem for the sake of the union, he said. 

The 7 EAO allies would start administering in the territories they had seized control of with the self-determinization ruling system, said General Yawd Serk, chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) at the meeting held in March, 2024.

If it took long without finding an answer during armed conflicts, ways of thinking would change, U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of the policy steering committee of the ANP, told CNI News.

" Armed groups are fighting for their ambitions because they think that the political problem can't be solved with the political means. And then when it takes for a long time, when one side isn't able to defeat the other decisively, based on the reality, their ways thinking can change. I wonder if they might want to sit at the political rountable. It might be in 2025 and beyond 2025, I think." he said.

The Arakan Army (AA) has said that it will build at least a confederation status while the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has told its people to get ready to build a country if needed. 

In the same way, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has said that EAOs could consider more than a federal union in 2025.

At present, battles are breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and some EAOs/revolutionary forces in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Karen States, Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway Regions.

While the Myanmar Tatmadaw becomes weak after Myanmar is in a political crisis, EAOs have changed way of thinking from building a federal democratic union to building confederation states and are fighting for it.