CNI News

28 Sept 2022

The National Unity Government should have the centralized command over all People’s Defence Forces, Rakhine Politician U Pe Than told the CNI.

He added that the NUG has not been able to control all PDFs effectively and it is the responsibility of the NUG to lay down political objectives for the forces.

U Pe Than told the CNI, “Recently, Brigade (1) of the Karen National Union issued rules for PDFs. I don’t know if the brigade issued the rules for the KNU or for areas under its control. Some brigades may have friendly relations with PDFs while others may not. So, such rules may have been issued. Needless to say, the NUG is responsible for all this, I think. As the NUG is not able to exert effective control over PDFs, which are spread over a wide area with their own leadership. The NUG must also be able to control them politically. PDFs are just armed forces and the NUG must be able to lay down political objectives for them. Therefore, the NUG must try to do everything for them including disputes, future military cooperation and communications among them.”

Recently, Brigade (1) of the KNU issued 25 rules that must be observed by resistance forces in areas under its control.

NUG Prime Minister Mann Win Khaing Than and members of the PDF.

Under the rules, resistance forces in the areas are required to follow instructions and rules issued from time to time by leaders of the brigade and district level officers, to perform duties in an accountable manner and to take measures to systematically enforce rules issued by relevant battalions and units as well as localized rules.

The rules issued by Brigade (1) of the KNU seemed to be a warning for uniformity of rules and regulations in areas under its control, Political Analyst U Than Soe Naing told the CNI.

  The statement of Brigade (1) of the KNU.

He said, “PDGs are cooperating with the KNU in various fields and in many areas. There are local PDFs in all seven brigades of the KNU. Some PDFs may be under the direct command of the NUG but some of them are cooperating directly with the KNU as independent PDFs. So, the brigade issued rules for uniformity of military goals and rules among all resistance forces.”

Since the Tatmadaw ousted the civilian government on 1^st February, 2022, protests have broken out in the entire country and some protestors have taken shelter in areas under the control of ethnic armed organizations and taken part in the armed struggle and through other means.