On 8th December 2015, the ethnic alliance known as the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) has temporarily suspended two of its member groups, the Chin National Front and Pa-O National Liberation Organization, after they were among eight signatories to a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement in mid-October.
In this regards, Salai Kip Khaw Lian, president of Chin National Front (CNF) said, “There is no difference opinion between UNFC and CNF. All the member groups wanted to sign on NCA. We were stood same platform with UNFC when involving at Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) and SD. The main difference was that there were two groups – signatories group and un-signatories group in UNFC. CNF had openly discussed with UNFC on the agreement before signed on NCA. UNFC didn’t condemn on it. Decision has to be taken by the condition of each group as per the principle of armed group. CNF didn’t ignore UNFC on all the process of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).”
The decision came following a three-day emergency meeting of the UNFC on 10-12 November in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with leaders of the spurned groups claiming their suspensions were in the violation of Article 28 of the alliance’s constitution. The final decision was made on 5th December 2015 at UNFC meeting.
CNF and PNLO had signed Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on 15 October 2015 with Thein Sein’s government at Nayipidaw, Myanmar.
The UNFC, formed in late 2010 to represent most of Burma’s ethnic armed groups during peace negotiations with the government, has 11 members, but now only 9 active members after suspended CNF and PNLO.