Government has always been opening the door for peace talks Not only people, even its party members do not believe in NLD any longer and resign as membership of their own volition

Yangon, 11 June— At the meeting hall in Hpa-an, Kayin State, Chairman of the Information Committee of the State Peace and Development Council Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan made explanation on related matters of the study tour of local and foreign journalists who studied regional development undertakings carried out in Mon and Kayin States by the government, the reasons why DKBA, a group led by Phado Aung San and a group led by U Saw Tha Mu He broke away from KNU and their endeavours made hand in hand with the government for regional stability and development. After the occasion, journalist raised questions. The following are the replies made by responsible persons to the queries raised by local and foreign journalists.

Question: Dr Zaw Than — I am Dr Zaw Than of Sankei Shimbun news agency. I would like to know the Government’s attitude as regards peace talks with KNU. Will the peace talks with KNU continue?

Answer: Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan — The Government’s attitude has not been changed. The Government always keeps open the door for peace talks. Today we clarify matters to convince them of their misdeeds to remedy them. The Government has always kept open the door for peace talks.

Question: U Ko Ko — I am Ko Ko from Yumiuri Shimbun. I would like to ask a question on politics. We have learnt that Daw Suu Kyi’s detention was extended on 31 May. I would like to know the extension period of her house arrest — one year or 6 months? And under which section her detention was extended?

My second question concerns with NLD. Two or three days ago I have learnt that NLD issued an announcement saying that the resignations from membership, closing of offices and putting down signboards are not lawful. I would like to know the Government’s view on that matter?

Answer: Police Director-General Brig-Gen Khin Yi — Daw Suu Kyi’s detention was extended for one year under section 10 (b).

Answer: Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan — Nowadays, NLD members are resigning from membership in various States and Divisions. The Government or any organisation does not put pressure on them to resign from membership. As I had explained in previous press conferences, NLD since its coming into existence has never served any interest of the nation and the people. It has been to wrongful acts of confrontation, defiance of authority, utter devastation, causing imposition of various sanctions against Myanmar, etc. Due to its wrongful policies and principles, the state and the people got harmed a lot. With the passage of time, the people themselves have come to realize the truth. A party or an organization cannot conceal its nature and essence for a long time. Time will reveal its nature and essence. For instance, KNU has been in existance for about 60 years. During that period, its nature and essence have come to light. If one studies the KNU’s nature one will come to know it. Similarly, Tatmadaw has come into existence during the independence struggle. It has now been about 60 years. You can look back past incidents to know the nature and essence of Tatmadaw. The Tatmadaw has never committed massacres and licensed-to-rape atrocities. It is the fact. NLD has been in existence for some years. One can easily see its true image. It has incessantly been committing its wrongful acts. Thus the people do not support or believe in NLD. The majority of the people do not accept NLD. Not only the people, even its party members do not believe in it any longer and resign from membership of their own volition. No one has put pressure on them. They are resigning from membership one after another. Who put pressure on them? If it is to put pressure on one person or at one place, it might be possible. Now, the party members are resigning from membership nation-wide. They are resigning of their own volition.

The matter concerning if their resignations are lawful or not is clear. They themselves put up their resignations to their headquarters officially and gave copies to the Elections Sub-commission and authorities concerned. A party member can join any party he or she likes and can resign from membership of his or her own volition. It cannot be said that his or her resignation is unofficial or illegal. They themselves addressed to their headquarters and put up their resignations.

Question: Myinmu Maung Naing Moe — I am Myanmar Literary and Journalists Organization CEC member Myinmu Maung Naing Moe. My question is: nowadays a western power and anti-government organizations are trying to get UN Security Council to take action against Myanmar, I have learnt. I would like to know the Government’s attitude and stand on this matter. How the Government will respond to that issue?

Answer: Ministe Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan — Your question is how the Government will respond as the super power and anti-government groups are attempting to put Myanmar’s affairs to UN Security Council. The Government does not accept it and rejects it categorically. Because I have two reasons.

The first reason is: According to UN Charter chapter-7 article-39, the Security Council can study and review whether a nation is threatening the international peace and security or not as well as whether a nation’s situation has become a threat to international peace & security or not. By misusing the article 39, the super power and opposition groups are accusing that Myanmar’s situation has posed a threat to international peace & security. And they are trying to put up the matter to the UN Security Council. Actually, the situations in Myanmar, in no way, has posed a threat to international peace and security. Myanmar’s situation is not threatening even regional peace and security. Myanmar’s situation has not posed a threat to peace and security of even a neighbouring country. That’s the reason why we reject their attempt to put up Myanmar’s affairs to UN Security Council. That’s why we reject it, we do not accept it absoutely. It is our country’s attitude.

The second reason is that their accusations are fabricated ones, not true, totally unreasonable.

Your second question is how the Government will respond to that issue. We are now responding and will continue to respond in two ways — diplomatic way and media way. We will react by comparing their false accusations with actual conditions and authentic facts. One of their accusations is, as mentioned in the journalists’ questions, that Daw Suu Kyi and other politicians are detained and they have not yet been released. And that their duration of detention is extended and that it is the violation of human rights. They also said that political movements cannot be launched freely and these facts are the violation of human rights. Thus the UN Security Council should take action against Myanmar, they accused. In this regard, I would like to say that Daw Suu Kyi and some politicians are detained. Yes, they are detained as they have violated Myanmar’s existing laws. The extension of their detention or release will be according to the law. In any nation, action will be taken against those who violate the law. Taking of action against the law breakers cannot be termed as violation of human rights. So, their accusations on Myanmar of violating human rights are not true. Another accusation is that no one cannot launch political movement freely in Myanmar.

Nowadays in Myanmar, political movements can be launched freely only within the framework of law, rules and regulations. The remaining political parties are carrying out their political movements freely within the framework of law. NLD itself is holding meetings and coordinations in various States and Divisions. Meetings are also held at NLD headquarters every day. And announcements are issued. It shows that they can carry out political activities. The NLD members of towns are travelling from their towns to Yangon headquarters to and fro, reporting, holding discussions and taking back directives. It shows that they can carry out political activities freely. So, it is untrue that they could not carry out political activities freely. I will respond their false accusation with the truth. Another accusation is that nowadays as Tatmadaw launches operations, thousands of Kayin nationals have to flee their homes as refugees and they have become homeless. The Tatmadaw is licensed to rape, they accused. Villages are set on fire and there is ethnic cleansing by the Tatmadaw, they accused. Thus, UN Security Council should take action against Myanmar, they urged. We have clarified these matters again and again. With gentlement’s agreement (with KNU), we have been trying to attain peace. In this context, KNU have infiltrated Toungoo, Bago and Nyaunglaybin areas and launched sabotage acts since early this year. The Government knew it well. However, as peace negotiations were being held with KNU and in order not to harm that, we didn’t reveal the matter at previous press conferences. We officially intimated them not to launch sabotage acts as negotiations were under way. However, KNU did not refrain itself from sabotage and it continued to commit sabotage acts increasingly, as you journalists have known. They planted high explosive on the railroad. If our security units could not remove them in time, the lives and property of the people would be lost. Based on these facts, the Government and the Tatmadaw have to take necessary security measures and carry out area cleansing works. Then there are accusations that thousands have become homeless and houses were set on fire due to Tatmadaw’s operations. They are also accusing that, there is ethnic cleansing, etc. These are not committed by Tatmadaw but by KNU. U Tha Htoo Kyaw has also clarified the events, incidents and nature of KNU in Myaing-gyi-ngu region. If you look back at the KNU's history you can see that KNU has all along been committing such atrocities. The Tatmadaw has never committed such atrocities. The Tatmadaw is well-organized and well-disciplined. The accusations against the Tatmadaw of ethnic cleansing, setting fire of villages, etc are untrue. They are just fabricated accusations. These have also been mentioned in my clarifications. At present, expatriate Aung Din is collaborating with AAAS (American Association of Advanced Science) to take fabricated photos via satellite. They will take fake photos of fire devastated sites and villages. But no one can know who set the houses and villages on fire. They said their satellite could take photos of man but it is difficult to differentiate that person is Tatmadawman or KNU member. So, it is clear. Their plan is to set villages on fire and take photos of it via satellite. Fake settings of villages and houses on fire, villagers being tied with ropes and tortured, ethnic cleansing will be photographed deceitfully. And they will accuse Tatmadaw of committing atrocities. So, it can be seen that their accusations are untrue and unreasonable.

Another matter I would like to clarify is that nowadays ILO and some anti-government groups are accusing that there is forced labour in Myanmar and ILO should take action against Myanmar. They also accused that forced labour issue should be submitted to UN Security Council. Tatmadaw has to abide by 1959 Tatmadaw Act. Like other citizens, Tatmadaw-men have to abide by civil laws, rules and procedures. In addition, Tatmadawmen have to abide by code of conduct. Thus, Tatmadawmen are doing everything in accordance with laws and rules. Transportation of materials and construction of buildings are made through tender system by paying charges. Forced labour is never used.

Another point is: they accused that Myanmar’s situation has posed to a threat to international peace and security and they urged UN Security Council should take action against Myanmar. I will clarify this matter with authentic fact and real incident. As known to all, BCP launched massive offensives against the Tatmadaw in north-eastern parts of the country around 1988-90. They had their strongholds. Similarly, KNU also had strongholds along the border. The Tatmadaw had to crush them by using light infantry divisions, artilleries and air strikes. Even at that time when major battles were launched, no one had claimed Myanmar’s situation was threatening the international peace and security. Today, there is no stronghold of insurgents nor major battles in Myanmar. The insurgents have to seek refuge in so-called refugee camps. In such situation and condition, they are accusing that Myanmar’s situation is threatening international peace and security. Is that reasonable? How could it be possible? When there were major battles along the border in the past, arms and ammunition were required by insurgents and there occurred arms smugglings, of course. Our border was a big market for arms smuggling. Even so, no one had claimed that Myanmar situation was threatening international peace and security. Nowadays, there are no such conditions and they are accusing that Myanmar’s situation has amounted to a threat to international peace and security. How could it be reasonable? How could it be true? Likewise, in border areas in the past were not tranquil due to lack of the rule of law. The border areas in the past were like a big market for poppy cultivation, opium production, narcotic drug trafficking. Even at that time, they didn’t claim that Myanmar’s situation had amounted to a threat to international peace and security. Nowadays, the situations have become much better and narcotic drug menace has also been minimized effectively. The Police Director-General has also clarified and you all have witnessed how over 1.4 billion dollars worth seized drugs were destroyed and torched at the previous press conference held in Kengtung. In such situation, how their accusation against Myanmar of threatening international peace and security will be possible? It is not reasonable.

So, we will react by disclosing the truth. The important thing I would like to point out is that if the big nations, anti-government NGOs and persons really love our country and our people and wish our border areas to be peaceful, tranquil and developed, they do not need to get UN Security Council to take action against Myanmar. It is easy. They should not make instigation and manipulations; they should not provide cash and kind assistance to insurgents; they should not let the so-called refugee camps to be in existence and they should refrain themselves from interfering in our internal affairs. In this way, the border areas will become peacefull soon and consequently will achieve developments. This is not a fantasy. We have experience. Around 1988-90, BCP had strongholds in north-eastern parts of Myanmar and launched major battles. However, a neigh bouring country with genuine goodwill was sticking to the firm concept and attitude of not interfering in another country’s internal affairs. So, we could crush BCP easily. As a consequence, many armed insurgent groups which were under the influence of BCP returned to legal fold. Thus, peace and tranquillity as well as the rule of law prevail in those border areas and they are developing remarkably. The local people can travel and earn their livelihood peacefully. It is a true evidence. Therefore, if some big nations and NGOs truly love our nation and our national peoples and wish us to achieve development, they should refrain themselves from interfering in our internal affairs, making instigation and manipulations, providing cash and kind assistance to anti-government groups and letting the so-called refugee camps to be in existence. In this way, the areas will surely become peaceful and developed soon. And no preaching as regards ethnic cleansing, forced labour, etc will be needed. Thank you.