Some 38 armed group members surrender in Myanmar in three months

14:44, May 01, 2011

A total of 38 members from some anti- government ethnic armed groups in Myanmar laid down their arms in different military command areas in the first three months of this year, the state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Sunday.

These members from the Shan State Army (SSA), United Wa State Army (UWSA), Kayinni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and Kayin National Union (KNU), who returned to the government's legal fold, brought along 422 rounds of ammunition among others, the report said.

Of the armed groups, KNU, which fought with the government for more than six decades since Myanmar's independence in 1948, remains as the largest anti-government ethnic armed group still operating on the Myanmar-Thai border.

The government said a total of 17 main anti-government armed groups and 23 small groups have so far made peace with the government, returning to the legal fold under respective ceasefire agreements since 1989.

Meanwhile, the new government, which was sworn in on March 30, has spelled out a policy of dealing with remaining armed groups operating in the border regions, saying that it will keep the door open to them and these armed groups are invited to partake in the peace process in line with the new state constitution.

Source: Xinhua