The Restoration Council of Shan State/the Shan State Army South has sent a letter to the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) informing them that they do not wish to attend the Ethnic Leaders’ Summit which will be held at the Karen National Union headquarters, Law KeeLah, next month, SHAN reported on 26 May.
“We are notavailable during this period so we decided not to join this meeting,” said Col. Sai Hla, the spokesperson for the RCSS/SSA. “However, we have sent them a letter informing them of our reasons.”
The conference is scheduled to be held from 2 to 6 June to finalise the discussion of the draft nationwide ceasefire agreement, which was signed between the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) and the government.
Five representatives from twenty-two ethnic armed groups have been invited to participate in the coming conference at Law KeeLah.
The RCSS/SSA is not a member of NCCT, which is comprised of 16 ethnic armed groups including the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army North. However, it does have a close alliance with the KNU.
The first ethnic armed organizations summit was held at the Kachin Independence Army headquarters Laiza in October 2013. The second summit was held at the KNU headquarters Law KeeLah in January 2014 and the third summit was held at the KIA headquarter Laiza in July 2014.