Editorial: Myanmar’s Ceasefire Holdouts

Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Troops

By Brandon Miliate

While the government has made progress on bringing insurgencies to an end, some groups are holding out.

There is a real possibility that Myanmar’s 60-year history of ethno-national insurgencies might be coming to an end. After decades of stagnation and intermittent fighting, both the “ethnic armed organizations” (EAOs) and the government in Naypyidaw agreed in 2013 to begin negotiating a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

Most EAOs have already signed bilateral ceasefires with government forces, which have allowed them the breathing room to focus on the NCA and begin coordinating a detailed political agenda. Three recognized armed groups, however, have still not signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement: Arakan Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and the Kachin Independence Army. This piece looks at the Kachin case to argue that while smaller EAOs benefit from bilateral ceasefires, the Kachin group’s interests are better served by waiting until the NCA is completed. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat