Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday once again vowed to do what it takes to put an end to the popular armed revolt against his regime.
In a video message to an event marking the ninth anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement on Tuesday, Min Aung Hlaing said his regime “will not yield to demands made by pulling a gun,” referring to armed groups fighting his regime for either democracy or autonomy.
But neither he nor his deputy Soe Win attended this year’s scaled-down event, which was instead led by the junta’s border minister and National Solidarity and Peace Negotiation Committee chairman, Lieutenant-General Tun Tun Naung.
Also present were former officials like Aung Min, a minister in the Thein Sein goverment that signed the ceasefire agreement, former Lieutenant-General Khin Zaw Oo, and the chairman of the Center for Peace and Reconciliation, Hla Maung Shwe, all of whom have participated in Myanmar’s peace process since.
Signatories to the NCA and political parties were represented by People’s Party chairman Ko Ko Gyi and Arakan Party chairman Dr. Aye Maung.
They listened to Min Aung Hlaing fulminate from a projection screen overhead against the ethnic resistance and anti-regime forces, the ousted National League for Democracy government, unspecified “foreign countries”, and the Myanmar people.
He denounced EAOs that have violated the NCA as “opportunists” who “serve their own interests and seek political gain” and accused them of indirectly supporting the civilian National Unity Government.
Offensives by the Brotherhood Alliace comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army and Arakan Army “further exaceberated economic and social turmoil”, he added.
He also accused other groups including the Karenni National Progressive Party, Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, Pa-O’ National Liberation Organization, Kachin Independence Army and Karen National Union of “commiting destructive acts” in their areas.
“We can’t make demands through armed violence,” Min Aung Hlaing declared. “We can only come to a political dialogue and solve conflicts peacefully. I would like to say that we will not compromise on the demands of armed terrorists,” which he vowed to “crush”.
Late last month, the regime issued an “offer to resolve political issues by political means” to armed groups, including People’s Defense Forces loyal to the NUG. But it also continued aerial bombardments of resistance-held territories, killing scores of civilians and driving thousands from their homes.
Resistance forces have snubbed the junta’s invitation.
Min Aung Hlaing also blamed unspecified “powerful countries” for the crisis in Myanmar. “It is all because they are creating instability in Myanmar in their attempt to gain influence over the country due to its geopolitical position,” he claimed.
“We must be aware that those armed groups are incited by foreign countries in an act of neocolonialism,” he said. “Our country is only being destroyed by disloyal and benighted citizens swayed by foreign countries.”
He accused the ousted NLD government of “leaking state secrets” to foreign governments during its term.
He also defended the mandatory military service he introduced in February, saying its aim is to “fight foreign-influenced violence and strengthen the state’s defence capability”. Opponents say it is a deseprate attempt by the regime to shore up its depleted army.
The formation of so-called “People’s Security and Anti-Terrorism Groups” at the grass-roots level would help instill “a sense of responsibilty” for national defence and security in individual citizens, he said, defending moves to conscript older men into these militias.
But while Min Aung Hlaing accuses the resistance of relying on foreign governments, he himself has been relying heavily on China and Russia.
He declared Chinese New Year a national holiday amid resistance offensives in northeastern territory bordering China in the hope that China would intervene to stop the fighting.
Since Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Naypyitaw in mid-August, Beijing has duly put greater pressure on EAOs based along the Chinese border. Beijing has also expressed support for the junta’s proposed election, which opponents have criticized as a sham to retain its grip on power. There have been reports that Min Aung Hlaing will soon be making his first official visit to China since the 2021 coup.
The coup leader’s latest threat to anti-regime groups came after junta forces intensified air raids over the last month.
Since the coup, some ethnic groups that signed the NCA with the Thein Sein government in 2015, like the Karen National Union and Chin National Front, have joined the popular armed revolt against the regime.
