Lu Htet Naing, Narinjara News, 28 September 2024

The political analysts believe that the military junta's invitation to ethnicresistance organizations, including the People's Defense Forces (PDF), toaddress political problems through political means is unlikely to succeed.

On 26 September, the junta announced its invitation to the PDF and ethnicresistance organizations to address political problems considering thecountry's ongoing losses.

 
In its invitation letter, the junta said, “Considering the losses inflicted onthe state by armed conflict and terrorism, we invite ethnic armedorganizations, terrorist rebel organizations, and the terrorist PDF to abandonarmed attacks and address political issues through diplomatic means, such asparty politics or elections. This collaboration with the people is essentialfor achieving a lasting peace and development."

When Narinjara News asked political analyst U Than SoeNaing about the junta's initiative, he apprehended that such an invitation isunlikely to yield any positive outcome.

“Absolutely not possible! The junta has demanded that the PDFs surrender,establish a political party, and participate in elections, while simultaneouslydesignating the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) and the ethnic armedorganizations leading the PDFs as terrorist groups. This is a depraved strategyintended to undermine the PDFs from within. However, that plan is unfeasible,as the PDFs are following the leadership of the NUG and ethnic armedorganizations, and they are actively engaged in the revolution,” commented UThan Soe Naing.

He further suggested that, due to the military junta'scurrent losses in the battle fields, they are trying to drive a wedge betweenthe NUG, ethnic armed organizations, and the PDFs.

“As the junta's strength weakens, it’s  trying to create divisions withinthe resistance forces. The junta people aim to drive a wedge between the PDFsand leadership organizations like the NUG and ethnic armed groups. However,there is no way for them to succeed,” he added.

Narinjara News also talked to Arakanese political analyst U Pe Than regardingthe junta's invitation. He also echoed that it’s not possible for the PDFs andethnic armed organizations to surrender and participate in the elections.

“They invite the resistance forces to resolve political problems throughpolitical means. This means, the resistance forces must surrender their weaponsand participate in the elections, which is absolutely impossible. Currently,the revolutionary forces have  grown stronger every day, while the juntais facing regular losses. Fighting has also occurred across the country. Insuch an unstable time, it’s impossible to hold elections,” asserted U Pe Than.

U Pe Than also suggested that the junta's current invitation is nothing morethan propaganda.

“As the 2008 Constitution remains in place,  themilitary leadership continues to get undue advantages. Their roadmap, whichdemands that the resistance forces surrender and participate in the elections,is a sham. If they were genuinely inviting us based on goodwill, they wouldhold peace talks. Instead, this invitation is a demand to surrender weapons andbe involved in their process. The junta is also preparing for a sham election.Therefore, under the current circumstance, the resistance forces will notconsider participating in the process at all,” he stated.

The  junta forces are currently experiencinglosses in ongoing fighting across the country. 

They have  relinquished control of Northern East Command in Lashio, ShanState, as well as Thandwe and Maung Shwe Lay naval base in Arakan State, toethnic armed organizations.

The political analysts asserted that the junta's invitation, amid these losses,was not politically sincere and pragmatic.