Tatmadaw (military) representative at Joint Monitoring Committee-Union (JMC-U), Col.Wunna Aung, said that they will discuss again with the Karen National Union (KNU) the plan for building a road in Hpapun, Karen State which was suspended by the military, in the coming open season.
This was his message at a press conference after holding the 17th JMC-U regular meeting which was held at National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) in Shweli Road, Yangon.
“We suspended the building of this road during the monsoon season and we will discuss  restarting the building of this road in the coming open season,” Col. Wunna Aung said.
The Tatmadaw entered the area between Khaypu and Lwemupalaw villages, Hpapun District, Karen State starting March 4, 2018 offering the reason of building the road in this area.
Since the Tatmadaw entered the KNU controlled area, there was tension betweenthe  two forces and then about 2,000 people from 14 villages fled their homes in fear of eruption of new conflict.
Col. Wunna Aung said that the building of road was for area development and for the purpose of administrative work of the Tatmadaw.
KNU top leaders led by Chairman Saw Muti Sae Poe and Tatmadaw C-in-C Min Aung Hlaing met in Nay Pyi Taw on May 17 and they agreed on the suspension of the building of this road.
KNU is an ethnic armed organization which signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in October 2015 with the government and the Tatmadaw.