Why Myanmar's ethnic groups must not sign ceasefire deal
The failure to finalise Myanmar's nationwide ceasefire agreement last week was welcome news, though talks are set to continue between the military-backed government and five of the ethnic armed organisations. The ethnic groups are under extraordinary pres
Politically, the ethnic groups might worry about the propaganda being spread by regime agents branding them “hardliners” merely for being unwilling to yield on their fundamental and rightful concerns. Nonetheless, since signing now would be terrible for the interests of their people, practically it should be easy to say “no”.
If the ethnic armed groups agree to the ceasefire, their people will be doomed to continued assaults, rapes and murders, and to having dams built on their rivers, their villages flooded, their land stolen, their mountains torn up for mines, even more of their forests cut down, and few options other than to be sweatshop labourers in new industrial and contract agricultural zones.
Roland Watson
