CNI News

15 October 2025

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, stated that even though they know the saying "a scattered herd gets dragged away by the tiger(“United we stand, divided we fall”)" it is necessary "not to adopt the mindset of “I row my own boat — whether it reaches Bago or not.(“I’ll sink or swim on my own,”)".

He made this statement while delivering a speech at the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in Naypyidaw on October 15, 2025.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said, "Up until the present day, it is necessary to be extremely vigilant as domestic and international subversive groups, who do not want the ethnic brethren to be harmonious, united, and consolidated, are using various methods to carry out all kinds of disruptions. Even though we know that a scattered herd gets dragged away by the tiger, it is also necessary not to adopt the mindset of “I row my own boat — whether it reaches Bago or not. The saying that 'The nation's strength lies within the nation' is extremely profound in meaning and will forever be true; it is necessary to pay attention and abide by it."

Ethnic armed organizations, political parties, international diplomats, some stakeholders, and media attended the ceremony.

CNI News
15 October 2025

The ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was held in Naypyidaw on October 15, 2025.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission attended the event and delivered a speech. International diplomats and some ethnic armed organizations also delivered speeches.

Subsequently, a workshop titled "Building a Peaceful Future for Myanmar" will be held from October 15 to 17.

CNI News

15 October 2025

Military and political analysts are watching to see what kind of impact the meeting between Mr. Hassan, the Foreign Minister of Malaysia (which holds the ASEAN rotating chairmanship), and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chairman of the Security and Peace Commission, on October 9, might have on Myanmar.

Sai Htay Aung, Chairman of the Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party, told CNI News that since the Malaysian Foreign Minister would assist with the election, the election might receive international recognition, and the next government that emerges could be one that garners international attention.

He said, "It is important. In my opinion, since he is going to help with this election, once this Myanmar election is internationally recognized, the next government that emerges will also be recognized by the international community. The government that emerges from the election will also be a government that can receive attention from the international community. Things might change for the better, that's my view. For this time, the election will be over. And then, a government will emerge. Once a government chosen by the people emerges, parliament will appear. Once parliament emerges, the people's voices can be raised and discussed in parliament. At the moment, there is no organization that speaks for the people's voices, so the people's voice is lost. When the people's voice emerges, I believe that politics will move quickly towards the better."

Caption: Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mr. Hassan seen during the meeting.

Sai Htay Aung, Chairman of the Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party, pointed out that because the armed struggle has lasted for over 70 years, Myanmar is suffering losses and the people are facing hardship.

He stated, "In my opinion, the armed struggle has been going on for over 70 years; the people are suffering hardship and the country is suffering losses. Therefore, if you want to do politics and love the country, it is best to resolve it at the negotiation table. If we are going to resolve it at the negotiation table, we need to remove hatred. We want those who have been invited by the Commission to come. The armed struggle in Myanmar has caused the country to suffer and the people to face hardship. If you love the people and love the country, and come and find a solution at the negotiation table, I believe that a lot of development will happen for the country."

The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Mr. Hassan, announced that ASEAN would send an election observation team to the election to be held in Myanmar on December 28, 2025.

When Malaysia took on the ASEAN rotating chairmanship, the strained relationship between Myanmar and ASEAN improved, and the weak diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Myanmar also strengthened again.

CNI News

15 October 2025

The Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has committed itself in speech, making it increasingly difficult to coordinate with the Myanmar military (Myanmar Tatmadaw), according to Colonel Khun Okkar, Chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO-NCA/S), who spoke to CNI News.

He explained that the TNLA is now in a position where retreating is difficult, while the Myanmar military seems determined to fight until the issue is resolved militarily. However, if TNLA were to pull back to its original Palaung self-administered zone, the situation might ease.

“For the Ta’ang (TNLA), it’s already too difficult to withdraw. The Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) also seems to want to solve things only through fighting. If the Ta’ang troops move back into their original Palaung self-administered area, it will be easier for them. Otherwise, they’ll be attacked. Coordination has become difficult. The words have run out.

Leaders of the Three Northern Alliances

The Kokang (MNDAA) had already made arrangements before — they’ve reached a ceasefire. They can still go to Lashio when needed and meet for discussions. So for the Kokang, I think they’ll coordinate more easily. If China gets involved, China will make sure the guarantees are strong. If both the Tatmadaw and China give guarantees, then they’ll reconsider. But the Palaung (TNLA) are in a tougher situation. They can’t be the same as the Kokang.”, said Colonel Khun Okkar.

On October 27, 2023, the TNLA, together with the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Arakan Army (AA), KNDF, BNRA, BPLA, MDY-PDF, DPLA, PLA, and other resistance groups, launched Operation 1027 across northern Shan State and parts of Mandalay Region.

During the operation, TNLA captured several towns in northern Shan State — Namkham, Nansang, Mantong, Mongngawt, Namtu, Kyaukme, Hsipaw, Naungcho, Momeik, Monglon, Kutkai — as well as Mogok in Mandalay Region.

Later, in February 2025 (Feb 16–17), delegations led by TNLA Lt-Gen Tar Jock Jar and Tatmadaw's Lt-Gen Ko Ko Oo held peace talks in Kunming, China, but the discussions were unsuccessful.

TNLA and two Tatmadaw delegates seen during their meeting

Follow-up meetings took place on April 28–29, 2025, and again in late August 2025, but none of these negotiations produced an agreement.

Meanwhile, under Chinese mediation, MNDAA and the Myanmar military signed a ceasefire agreement, after which Lashio was handed back to government control.

According to Colonel Khun Okkar, because MNDAA is ethnically and linguistically close to China, it is easier for them to communicate, and thus they are unlikely to face renewed fighting — unlike TNLA, which has not agreed to a ceasefire and is therefore more likely to see continued clashes.

“Kokang is Chinese — their territory, people, and language are all Chinese. So it’s easy for them to talk to China. Historically, the Kokang area only became part of Myanmar under British rule; it used to belong to China. That’s why the Kokang and China have a father-and-son relationship — communication is smooth, and fighting isn’t necessary anymore. Their ceasefire is solid. But the Palaung haven’t agreed to a ceasefire yet, so more clashes are likely.”, he said.

Currently, the Myanmar military has recaptured Kyaukme and Naungcho, both of which were under TNLA control along the China–Myanmar trade route, in July and October 2025, respectively. The military continues offensives toward Hsipaw, and similar operations are being carried out to retake Mogok as well.

CNI News

15 October 2025

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, stated that national culture is an inheritance as important as life for the ethnic people of a country and must be preserved.

He made the remarks on October 13, 2025, at the award ceremony for the 26th Myanmar Traditional Cultural Arts Competition (Singing, Dancing, Composing, and Playing).

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said, "National culture is an inheritance as important as life for the ethnic people of a country and must be preserved. The higher the national culture, the higher the standard of the nation and the people, enabling them to stand tall in the world. Our own national identity, inherent value, and standard are expressed only through national culture."

A total of 1,672 contestants from various Regions and States participated in the 26th Myanmar Traditional Cultural Arts Competition (Singing, Dancing, Composing, and Playing).

Subsequently, the awards were distributed as follows: Yangon Region (59 awards), Mandalay Region (47 awards), Ayeyarwady Region (37 awards), Sagaing Region (33 awards), Bago Region (22 awards), Mon State (21 awards), Magway Region (14 awards), Kayah State (17 awards), Shan State (13 awards), Rakhine State (10 awards), Kayin State (12 awards), Tanintharyi Region (13 awards), Chin State (10 awards), and Kachin State (5 awards).

CNI News

15 October 2025

Political and military analysts have pointed out that Myanmar is currently experiencing a leadership vacuum, which has led to fragmentation among those attempting to resolve the country’s ongoing political crisis and armed conflicts.

They emphasized that urgent international accountability and protection mechanisms are needed to prevent further escalation of the crisis and to safeguard civilians. U Kyaw Moe Tun stated at the United Nations that ASEAN alone cannot shoulder such a massive responsibility.

U Myo Kyaw, from the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), also told CNI News that not only is the general public suffering, but opposition political forces are also deeply divided and lacking leadership.

Leaders of BPLA, TNLA, and NUG seen together

He said: “It’s fair to say that the people have done their part — they’ve taken responsibility. But now, as the people continue to suffer, the opposition political forces are fragmented, and unity is very weak. As a result, leadership has been lost. That raises the question of who can truly guarantee and represent the people. We continue to speak out within our own capacity, but it’s not enough yet. Therefore, to give real assurances to the people, we need both public discussions through the media and the establishment of a stronger alliance through common agreements. Through such alliances, I believe the people will have a voice.”

Myanmar’s ongoing crisis began on February 1, 2021, when the military ousted the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, accusing it of failing to address alleged voter list irregularities in the 2020 general election and of attempting to form a new government. The coup sparked nationwide protests and armed resistance movements, which continue unresolved to this day.

Political analyst U Htet Aung Kyaw told CNI News that while there are many individual leaders and factions, there is currently no single leader accepted by all sides.

Leaders from international organizations, EAOs, and the Myanmar Tatmadaw

He said: “There are leaders everywhere — everyone has their own. But what’s really missing is a leader who can be accepted by all. Everyone has their own leadership figure, but there’s no one who can unify everyone under a single direction. So for now, there’s a leadership vacuum. If we talk about elections, for instance, which is better — having an election or not? Having an election is better. And which is better — having a parliament or not? Having a parliament is better. Everyone knows and accepts that. The issue now is how to distinguish between what’s genuine and what’s fake. If we don’t accept that, then what will we do next? It’s already been five years — what has become of us now? That’s the measure we should reflect upon.”

Analysts noted that Myanmar still lacks any concrete political agreements, and the peace process remains stalled.

Likewise, while the Myanmar military continues to hold its position as a central actor in the political dialogue, there is no shared understanding among opposition and resistance forces regarding who should lead or represent them in negotiations.

CNI News
14 October 2025

Some Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) jointly issued a statement on October 13, 2025, urging representatives from the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the international community not to attend the 10th Anniversary Ceremony of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

The joint statement was released by NCA signatories — the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), Chin National Front (CNF), Karen National Union (KNU), New Mon State Party (NMSP - breakaway group), Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), and Lahu Democratic Union (LDU).

In their statement, the EAOs said that during the NCA implementation process, the Myanmar military had dominated and controlled the process, blocked it with its military-centered policies, and repeatedly violated the agreements, thereby preventing the NCA’s true implementation. Nevertheless, the groups stated that they had continued to pursue peace and the goal of building a future federal democratic union with patience and perseverance, and as a result, were able to reach some agreements.

They added:

“However, the February 2021 military coup completely destroyed the essence, principles, and objectives of the NCA. The implementation process was halted, turning the NCA into nothing more than a piece of paper.”

EAOs seen issuing their joint statement

The EAOs also emphasized that participating in the junta’s ceremonial events would amount to supporting the Myanmar military, which continues to bomb and kill civilians daily and forcibly conscript young people into its army. They urged the UN, ASEAN, and international diplomats to stand with the people of Myanmar by refraining from attending the NCA 10th Anniversary Ceremony organized by the military regime.

The NCA was originally signed on October 15, 2015, by the Karen National Union (KNU), Chin National Front (CNF), All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), and the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC).

Later, on February 13, 2018, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) also signed the NCA.

Seven NCA signatories in discussion with the NSPNC

However, on February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military staged a coup d’état, claiming that the National League for Democracy (NLD) government had failed to address alleged voter list irregularities in the 2020 general election and was attempting to form a new government. The coup triggered widespread public opposition and armed resistance movements nationwide.

Among the NCA signatories, the ABSDF, KNU, and CNF withdrew from the NCA and have since taken up arms against the Myanmar military. Within other signatory groups such as PNLO, NMSP, LDU, and ALP, internal divisions have emerged — with some factions joining the armed resistance against the military while others continue to adhere to the NCA framework.

CNI News

13 October 2025

Everyone is watching with great interest to see why the People's Pioneer Party (PPP) was unsuccessful in its request for military candidates.

At the PPP's third press conference, held on October 8, 2025, at the Sedona Hotel in Yangon, Party Chairperson Dr. Thet Thet Khine stated that the party had requested 8 young military candidates to represent the party but the military did not send them.

She explained to the media, "I requested 8 military candidates to represent the party, and I specifically requested them by name, but they were not given. That is the clearest answer. This is the truth. I asked for 8 military personnel, and the individuals themselves also had the desire. However, the military did not give them to our party. Nevertheless, when asked if there are no military personnel in our party, there are. Those are individuals who retired from the military and became civilians or those who retired from the military, worked in government civilian departments, and have now taken a pension. Speaking of the military, the military is an organization that protects the non-negotiable sovereignty of a country. Our party will build a civil-military relationship that will always recognize the military."

The list of candidates who will contest for the People's Pioneer Party is seen.

U Myo Kyaw of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) told CNI that the PPP party might have requested candidates from the military to align with the military's wishes and to gain power. He suggested this might be viewed through a business lens rather than a democratic one, as the party is led by a businesswoman.

He stated, "They (PPP) are currently acting in accordance with the wishes of the military commission. In other words, their approach is not democratic. Even though they say they will contest the election, the reality is that they are pursuing power and are reliant on what the military commission provides. That's why I understand they requested candidates from the military. Under the previous government, they primarily attacked and criticized what they saw as unfair spending of funds by that government. They criticized democratic groups but do not mention the corruption and unjust wealth accumulation of the current military leaders. I see it as them looking for a way to partner with these dictators to see what they can gain. It might also be because they are business people. Why? Because it seems like they are pursuing a common interest with the military and its associates instead of focusing on the people."

The first phase of Myanmar's general election is scheduled to take place on December 28, 2025, in 102 townships.

The PPP is reported to have submitted a list of 672 candidates to contest in the election across the country.

The People's Pioneer Party

Political analyst Dr. Aung Myo told CNI that the PPP's claim of requesting military candidates might be an attempt to convince the public that their party is composed entirely of civilians.

He said, "The reason for her request is that some of the military personnel are interested in politics, mostly the educated groups. Quite a lot of the educated strata go to Dr. Thet Thet Khine. So, it is possible that some educated officers in the military went to Dr. Thet Thet Khine and suggested they wanted to run. It's not more than that. However, I understand she said this because she wants the public to believe that the party is composed entirely of civilians. We don't know clearly whether it is the attitude of the authorities or the attitude of the individuals. Therefore, because there is room for suspicion, it is better not to talk about this issue further."

The PPP was founded by Dr. Thet Thet Khine on October 23, 2019, and contested with over 200 candidates in the 2020 general election. However, the PPP did not win a single seat in the 2020 general election.

Subsequently, when the administration led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing enacted a law for political parties to re-register in 2023, the PPP reapplied as a Union-level political party and was granted registration on June 5, 2023.

CNI News
11 October 2025

In the current political situation in Myanmar, figures who had served as negotiators during the administration of former President U Thein Sein should be brought back to participate in dialogue, said Colonel Khun Okkar, Chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO-NCA/S), in an interview with CNI News.

He also stated that relevant leaders should reconsider their approach of only accepting meetings with invitees who attended, instead of taking the initiative to go out and meet counterparts directly.

“U Thein Sein is old now, but there are people he used to work with — people like U Aung Min and U Soe Thein. They are skilled individuals who were very capable in dialogues and negotiations, both formally and informally. If such experienced people were given authority and brought back into action, it could help restore communication channels. Now, it will be better if such people are formed into a negotiation team. At present, there is no such team. When others come to meet, the military goes out to meet them. But the military hardly goes out and meet with other groups. That’s something leaders should rethink. If they truly want peace, they should be willing to go and meet others themselves — that’s how informal meetings begin. But right now, that kind of informal discussion doesn’t happen. They only invite people to Nay Pyi Taw. And usually, those who come to Nay Pyi Taw are already allied organizations. So yes, they can meet. But for those groups currently regarded as enemies, it’s impossible for them to go to Nay Pyi Taw.”, said Colonel Khun Okkar.

On September 26, 2024, the State Administration Council (SAC) announced an invitation to ethnic armed organizations and People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) to lay down their arms and resolve political issues through political means.

Furthermore, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing stated at a peace forum held in Nay Pyi Taw on June 25, 2025, that the door to peace remains open for groups including the PDFs and other “terrorist organizations.”

However, military and political analysts have pointed out that these peace overtures have not been effective.

Currently, most ethnic armed organizations fighting against the Myanmar Tatmadaw are primarily focused on ethnic rights, while the National Unity Government (NUG) is pursuing democracy and ideological goals, said political analyst Dr. Aung Myo in an interview with CNI News.

“Their stances are different. For example, if we ask, ‘Are we talking about ethnic armed groups or the NUG?’ — that’s the key question. Ethnic armed groups focus on ethnic rights, while the NUG emphasizes democracy and ideology. The current government also claims to be pursuing democracy and ideology. So, in that sense, both sides — the NUG and the military — claim to be walking the same path toward democracy. That means there’s nothing to talk about; the military won’t see any point in engaging with the NUG. But when it comes to ethnic issues, that’s where dialogue is still possible. So, the NUG, as an ideological group, is unlikely to be accepted by the Tatmadaw, while ethnic-based groups might still be acceptable.”, said Dr. Aung Myo.

Analysts further noted that while the authorities are inviting dialogue, such talks are difficult to hold formally because the groups being invited have been officially declared terrorist or unlawful organizations.

Therefore, some suggest that removing these groups from the terrorist list would be a necessary step to enable genuine dialogue. They added that informal discussions about such removals have reportedly been taking place in some meetings.

Despite ongoing invitations to peace talks, the lack of an official negotiation team has made progress difficult, said Colonel Khun Okkar of the PNLO-NCA/S.

He explained:

“Yes, peace invitations are being made. But without a negotiation team to carry them out, it becomes difficult. During President U Thein Sein’s time, when peace talks were held, a negotiation team was immediately formed and sent to facilitate informal meetings. Now, without such a team or informal outreach, just sending invitations doesn’t lead to meaningful dialogue.”

According to him, the Myanmar Tatmadaw should also establish clear criteria and standards for engaging with armed groups in peace processes — defining what conditions need to be met for acceptance.

Previously, the military had refused to recognize groups such as the AA, TNLA, and MNDAA, citing that they lacked sufficient military strength, controlled territory, or ongoing battles at the time. However, it had expressed willingness to include those who laid down their arms in the peace process.