![\"Image](\"http:\/\/english.panglong.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/State-Counsellor-Daw-Aung-San-Suu-Kyi.jpg\")
The call to sign the NCA came after Muse town was jointly attacked<\/a> by ethnic Kachin, Ta\u2019ang and Kokang armed groups. The State Counselor emphasized peace efforts made by the government-backed National Reconciliation and Peace Center to reach out to non-signatories of the NCA\u2014who make up the majority of ethnic armed groups in the country\u2014in order to \u201cto build an all-inclusive peace process.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cIn order to immediately end the armed conflict, I strongly urge the armed groups to join the government\u2019s peace process by signing the NCA,\u201d said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n
This would involve \u201cworking together with civil society to find ways and means to strengthen the monitoring mechanism that would ensure non-violation of the ceasefire agreement,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The State Counselor said that she hoped \u201call relevant stakeholders\u201d would \u201ctake part in the 21st Century Panglong Conference on equal terms,\u201d which is slated to be held in February 2017.<\/p>\n
From Sunday, Nov. 20, attacks on security posts in Muse and Kutkai townships by a \u201cNorthern Alliance\u201d of four armed groups\u2014the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Ta\u2019ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army\u2014have left at least ten people dead, 30 injured and more than 5,000 displaced. Muse\u2019s 105th mile trading zone has been closed<\/a> due to the clashes and trucks remain stuck en route.<\/p>\n The State Counselor shared her condolences and sympathy with the victims of the fighting and said that the \u201ccut-off flow of trade, transport and communication\u201d due to the attacks on border outposts and infrastructure was \u201cdetrimentally affecting the socio-economic lives of the civilian population in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the KIA and a leading member of the seven-member ethnic alliance the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), released a\u00a0statement\u00a0on Wednesday saying\u00a0that the Northern Alliance\u2019s attack \u201cis solely a limited war\u201d carried out in response to the Tatmadaw\u2019s recent military pressure.<\/p>\n The KIO said they \u201care taking caution neither to destroy things in the public\u2019s interest nor to undermine the national reconciliation process.\u201d<\/p>\n The UNFC\u2014whose members have criticized the NCA for its lack of inclusivity\u2014joined the previous Union Peace Conference in late August and also took part in the recent political dialogue framework review meetings. The coalition\u2019s Delegation for Political Negotiation has participated in five meetings<\/a> with government peace negotiator Dr. Tin Myo Win, both in Chiang Mai, Thailand and in Rangoon, Burma.<\/p>\n Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy-led government have been under the heavy criticism for not standing up for ethnic demands, particularly while the Tatmadaw\u2019s offensives against the ethnic armed groups have been ongoing.<\/p>\n NLD lawmakers with whom The Irrawaddy spoke this week said that the current conflict has confronted the NLD government \u201cwith difficulties\u201d and has \u201cdamaged its political image.\u201d It has happened, the parliamentarians said, \u201cbecause our military is not under the civilian government\u2019s control.\u201d<\/p>\n