Address delivered by State Administration Council Chairman, Prime Minister of Republic of Union of Myanmar, National Solidarity and Peacemaking Central Committee Chairman, and Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at NCA’s Ninth Anniversary
October 16
Esteemed national
brethren of the Union,
Today is the ninth anniversary of the signing of the
Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) between the Government of the Republic of
the Union of Myanmar and EAOs. Leaders of the EAOs who took part in the signing
ceremony, local and foreign witnesses, and all the national races of the entire
Union, I wish you all good health and happiness, and may all your good wishes
be fulfilled.
Since the signing of NCA, a firm determination was mutually
made to jointly realize the terms of this Agreement without fail to achieve
perpetual peace based on responsibility, accountability and transparency. I
believe it still lives in the memories of all signatories.
To what extent could we realize the NCA with the aim of
marching towards a new democratic country that is witnessing peace, stability,
and progress everywhere amidst the many disturbances, and to what degree is the
NCA on its track. It is common knowledge.
Esteemed national
brethren,
NCA was established through many meetings and dialogues
between officials of the stakeholder organizations. It is a historic Agreement
of Myanmar. Talks were held thoroughly through mutual understanding and an
array of compromises till a bilateral consensus was reached. Since the signing
of the Agreement, I have witnessed EAOs that respect the terms of the Agreement
and stand by the interests of the country and the people, as well as the ones
that break the terms of the Agreement at every opportune time for
self-interest. The scope of NCA extends from nationwide ceasefire to perpetual
peace and interest of the national races and democracy. The establishment of a
Union based on democracy and federalism is in the interest of the national
races and democracy. It is common knowledge that Tatmadaw, with a genuine
goodwill for national progress, made concessions by announcing unilateral
ceasefire agreements many times three years after the signing of the NCA. It
adopted policies for peace, explained them in detail, and rendered a helping
hand. It also made overtures of negotiations, which is a policy for peace.
As differences in political views are the source of conflicts
in the country, invitations have been made to solve the political problems
through political means. So, I would like to urge all to join the political
dialogue in the interest of the country.
Esteemed national
brethren,
In our march towards democracy, the entire people must
genuinely enjoy the essence and culture of democracy. However, during the times
when the country was under a democratic government, the essence of democracy
and democratic culture were still away from the people. We must bear in mind
that democratic culture is the realization of the wishes or solving of the
conflicts of individuals or organizations through peaceful means while avoiding
any means of violence. During the second democratic government, the country
lost its revenues, and its internal secrets fell victim to leakages due to
overly putting trust in foreign countries as in history.
Even government authorities, who had the right to shoulder
the State duties, wrongly exercised democratic practices. It is common
knowledge that the vote-rigging of the then government in the 2020 election has
left a black mark in history.
In all seriousness, I say that Tatmadaw regards the duty of
safeguarding the country from all dangers befalling it for the long-term
interest of the country and people as a responsibility shaped by historical
demands. When an unexpected political change in Myanmar occurred in 2021, some
EAOs, violating the terms of NCA, supported terrorist groups, NUG and CRPH,
through a stratagem. They also provided aid and various support to PDF
terrorist bands under those terrorist groups. Hence, peace and stability became
weak in the entire country, and the people had to live in fear and a state of
alarm.
The acts of the combined terrorist group, MNDAA, TNLA and AA
that began in October 2023 have worsened the economic situation of the people.
Before the incident, KNPP, KNDF, PNLO, KIA and KNU armed insurgents were
committing destructive acts in various places. The consequence was the
hardships that a large number of innocent people had to suffer. Multiple
sources of support were found behind those terrorist acts. In this regard, the
government is protecting the national interest through a correct view and
proper arrangements.
Esteemed national
brethren,
Driving forces such as politics, economy and defence must be
better for the development of a country. Despite having more muscular political
strength, the government should not be weak in the economic and defence
industries. Leaders need to systematically manage the strengthening of the
political sector, whereas all citizens have to strive for their respective
industries. If so, individuals will be wealthy, and then the state economy will
be boosted. Only when the country has stronger economic strength will the State
have higher defence capability. Since its establishment, Tatmadaw was purposed
to defend external enemies, not for internal security. Depending on the
internal security situations of the State, when the government assigns,
Tatmadaw has to serve the internal security duties.
Myanmar Tatmadaw, on its part, has been serving defence and
internal security duties from the time of the AFPFL government in the
post-independence era to date, in accordance with the assignments. It has been
proved that Tatmadaw, in successive eras, has dutifully served the assigned
duties for the defence, peace and stability of the State. I would like to point
out that it should not be assumed that Tatmadaw alone is responsible for the
defence duty of the State, and it is necessary for all people to participate in
national defence through their strength. According to the geographical and
political conditions of the country, our country needs to prepare to serve the
defence duties of the State carefully.
Nowadays, power struggles among powerful countries and their
interference in political, economic and military affairs of small countries,
territorial disputes among countries, terror attacks and internal instability
can be seen across the world. In solving these problems, some try to cause
internal conflicts to the regional conflicts. The majority of global countries
form regional organizations to have country-wise strength and cooperate with
one another in all sectors, including political and economic sectors. However,
it is necessary to note that all countries prioritize taking a firm stand for
their interests. I would like to urge all national brethren to notice which
countries mastermind internal conflicts of neighbouring countries and global
countries with attempts to recreate neocolonialism.
In order to influence small countries, it can be seen that
the world’s powerful countries are making attempts to control the economic
sector, which is playing a pivotal role in the development of countries. They
provoke internal conflicts and crises so as to cause impacts on the economic
sector of small countries with manipulation as they like. At this juncture,
small countries need to utilize their own natural resources to overcome these
challenges. Limited resources will affect the economy as well as weaken other
sectors. Our country possesses good resources for the development of
agriculture and livestock breeding sectors. Our country has been recognized as
a country that contributes to the world’s food security. Moreover, our country
produces oil, natural gas and various minerals such as copper, iron and tin.
So, we have to utilize these natural resources and sound foundations of
agriculture and livestock breeding sectors in order to boost the economy and
overcome the challenges that harm the economy.
In the past, the country suffered the impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic and economic crisis unavoidably. Due to global political frictions in
the post-COVID period, the world faced energy and fuel problems. Now, some
countries are facing political instability. As the political instability
finally lead to an economic crisis, powerful countries create such situations
in advance to serve their interests. As such, only when our country strives to
possess reliable human resources without reliance on foreign countries will the
country stand tall with its own natural resources proudly. In order to emerge
as the future State, efforts were made to accomplish the NCA treaty with the
aim of resolving diversity measures at the peace table through negotiations and
coordination. So, we all are now on the track of peace. The State
Administration Council could manage to boost the State economy from the
downtrends and development of other sectors, including education, health and
agricultural production, amid the internal and external attacks and
disturbances.
Esteemed national
brethren,
Since the assumption of the State responsibilities, the State
Administration Council has adopted the Roadmap. The government has clearly
declared that the country will lead to the NCA route to initiate the peace
process, emphasizing agreements of NCA as much as possible. Amid many
difficulties since its assumption, the government has adopted prioritized tasks
and implemented them. At present, the nationwide population and household
census is being enumerated. Arrangements are being made to hold the multiparty
democratic general election successfully as the final point of the Five-Point
Roadmap we have guaranteed. Emphasis is being placed on the participation of
all political parties in the election, and efforts are being made to maintain
security conditions to be able to hold the election in relevant regions. Considering
the possible conditions in the election period, the government will leverage
the security measures, and relevant EAOs will have to cooperate with the
government in these measures. The State Administration Council will go forward
in harmony with relevant sectors included in the Five-Point Roadmap. Only when
the country forges peace and stability will the government initiate the
strengthening of the multiparty democratic system and correct reform processes
as quickly as possible.
The State Administration Council is placing particular
emphasis on achieving two political goals and two national goals. Development
can only take place when the country is stable and peaceful. Achieving domestic
stability and peace should not be Tatmadaw’s sole responsibility.
Only when all ethnic armed organizations fully understand the
essence of the NCA and cooperate with a strong sense of responsibility towards
the State and their commitments to the nation will we be able to reach the
shared goals we aspire to.
Undesirable armed conflicts have caused unrest and violence
throughout the country. The deaths of innocent people, children and monks are
the considerable loss the country. It is only our own citizens who are
unfaithful to the country and weak in consciousness that are destroying the
country by the incitement and support from abroad. In order to strengthen the
defence forces of the country and to reduce the violence that is dominated by
the instigation from abroad, we have put into force the People’s Military
Service Law that has been enacted since 2010 and has been able to strengthen
the national security sector. In addition, a public security system involving
all citizens is also being organized. By being able to do these things, all the
people will be aware that they are individually responsible for national
defence and security.
Armed attacks of terrorist insurgents throughout the ages are
only doing armed terrorist acts under the pretext of politics. It can be seen
that they are putting forward their desire to stand separately rather than
walking on the path of multiparty democracy and building a great Union
together. Young people were lured with narcotic drugs and forced to join the
war. We all know not only the lives of innocent people but also road and bridge
structures, hospitals and schools, and religious buildings were destroyed.
Because of such anarchic acts, the public hates terrorists and actively
cooperates with Tatmadaw in counter-terrorist operations. In the future,
Tatmadaw will continue to do what is necessary to suppress terrorist
insurgents. I also want to inform the public to be careful of being tricked by
terrorists.
Esteemed national
brethren,
For our Union to achieve eternal peace, meetings and
discussions with political parties and ethnic armed groups are underway. The
opinions obtained from such meetings were recorded as the Union Accord. Only
when the armed conflict ends through the NCA will we be able to reach our
desired goal. We all need to move forward with the spirit of Myanmar together.
Otherwise, if we continue to believe in the instigation of foreign countries
that are encouraging and supporting armed terrorist acts and plotting the
bloodshed of our own citizens, then the future journey we want to take as a
nation will be a long way off.
Today, the current situation in our country is due to the
influence and control of geopolitically powerful countries, which is creating
internal instability. They are causing dissension in various ways so that there
is no unity among the different ethnic groups in our country. We see that they
are creating political and economic instability to reduce our country’s defence
power. What I want to say is that all the ethnic groups living in Myanmar are
brothers and sisters who have lived in the same land and drunk the same water
for many years. They are the ones who have weathered difficulties and crises
they have faced at different times in history. Today, instead of destroying the
area where we live for the benefit of the powerful countries, we all need to
think long-term and cooperate for the benefit of the nation. If we are divided
and quarrel with each other, the power of the State will decrease, and we may
go down in history as a people who follow and obey the will of others.
Therefore, today, I would like to urge the ethnic armed groups to join together
in the process of national stability and peace being carried out by Tatmadaw
and to negotiate their wishes through dialogues.
Esteemed national
brethren,
In conclusion, we can’t ask for our wants through armed
violence. We can only come to a political dialogue and solve the conflicts
peacefully. I would like to say that we will not compromise on the demands of
armed terrorists. According to the motto of our government, “Moving forward to
the goal”, we must all respect and cooperate with the NCA as we move forward
with the spirit of “Myanmar”. In cooperation, we need to follow through on the
transparency, responsibilities and commitments that have already been made with
a genuine desire for durable peace. I would like to encourage the EAOs and the
entire ethnic population to have a security awareness and security perspective
and to show the spirit of good citizens by participating in the aspects of the
pre-election process that will take place after the census. In conclusion, I
would like to urge all to work together with the government to put an end to
the terrorists who are disrupting the peace and stability of the country.
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