The Karen National Union (KNU), one of the largest ethnic armed groups to have signed the government’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), has called on the Myanmar army to stop building roads that connect four districts in their home state. The KNU released a statement calling for an end to construction of the road, which connects the areas of Papun, Nyaunglaybin, Toungoo and Thaton, according to an article in The Irrawaddy. “What we understand is that [the Tatmadaw] are building this road to improve their access to the area,” Saw Thu Kabi, a spokesperson for KNU’s Toungoo chapter, was quoted as saying. The KNU said it believes that the Tatmadaw is building the road for military purposes, and that local residents are distrustful of it. After decades of intense fighting, the KNU signed the NCA with the Myanmar government in 2015. However, there have been some clashes between the group and the Myanmar army, including over tensions related to the road, which is close to several KNU bases. The KNU recently said it is temporarily halting its involvement in the peace process, although it is open to negotiations.
