CNI News
9 July 2025
Mutual trust is essential to armed groups, including the People's Defense Forces (PDF), to participate in the elections to be held by the SAC, Col. Saw Kyaw Nyunt, spokesperson for the 7 EAOs Alliance, told CNI News.
The SAC announced on July 4, 2025 that it had invited the PDF and armed groups to participate in the upcoming elections.
Taking part in the invitation by the armed groups and the PDF, given the current low trust between the two sides, posed many challenges and difficulties, 7 EAOs Alliance spokesman Colonel Saw Kyaw Nyunt told CNI News.
“In any case, at a time when our country is facing intense military conflicts and peace is being destroyed, it is good that SAC has invited these armed groups. However, I think that mutual trust is very necessary for them to participate in the invitation. At this time, there are shootings all over the country. And at a time when trust is declining, there will be challenges and difficulties to enable these armed groups to accept the invitation. What should we do? I think it would be good if we could first build trust between the two sides. The best way to achieve the mutual trust is to carry out step by step through the agreement from the two sides, that I understand." he said.
The SAC has stated that the emergence of a union based on democracy and federalism, and the amendment of the constitution in accordance with the union based on democracy and federalism, will require continued negotiations with the Hluttaw and government that will emerge from the upcoming multi-party democratic general election.
The statement said that armed groups, including the PDF, would be welcome if they would work together with the national government and the military to achieve national and regional interests, legally standing within the framework of the law, and envisioning the emergence of a greater union based on democracy and federalism.
Furthermore, the statement also said that continuing to follow the armed path will not benefit the nation and will drive democracy back.
Inviting the PDF and armed groups for the only reason that will build a union based on democracy and federalism is not enough in the current situation, the Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party (TNDP) Chairman Sai Htay Aung told CNI News.
“On the other hand, as there are those waging an armed resistance with a slogan 'there is no need to discuss the blood debt, I think it would be better if the SAC invited them not only to build the country on a democratic and federal basis, but also to discuss other issues. "How can we best build the country? And what will we do after the election? We need to talk and organize about the good things of the country. If we can meet in person, we'll meet in person. There are intermediary organizations such as CSOs to enable the two sides to meet. If we organize through them, we hope that more people will join us," he said.
The SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has said that elections will be held in 267 townships in December 2025 and January 2026, and state power will be handed over to the winning party.
However, the revolutionary forces have vowed to sabotage the election without fail.
