Ethnic Rebel groups in Myanmar (Burma) have rejected a peace offer from the embattled junta. The Myanmar junta is reeling from battlefield losses and defections in a civil war that has dragged on for more than three years.

This is the dictatorship’s first such outreach since it seized power from the country’s democratically elected government in 2021. It also comes after a ceasefire brokered by China in the northern Shan state fell apart.

“To work for eternal peace and development hand-in-hand with the people, the ethnic armed groups, terrorists and PDF terrorists who have been opposing the state, should leave the armed terrorism route and we invite them to join the party politics and election route,” the junta said in its statement on Thursday.

“We invite ethnic armed groups, terrorist insurgent groups, and terrorist PDF groups which are fighting against the state to give up terrorist fighting and communicate with us to solve political problems politically,” it added saying that the country’s stability and development has been blocked due to the conflict.

Escape from a losing fight?

The junta is fighting on multiple fronts against the People’s Defence Forces (PDF), which are loosely allied with several ethnic minority rebel groups who have a bitter history with the military. The PDF are the armed wing of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG).

The NUG was formed in April 2021 by a coalition of ousted lawmakers and parliamentarians following the military coup on February 1, 2021. The NUG operates as a government-in-exile, aiming to restore democracy and challenge the military junta’s rule.

The NUG has garnered support from various ethnic groups, particularly those with a history of conflict with the military junta. These include the Karen National Union (KNU), the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

The NUG represents ethnic groups with various prominent leaders from the Chin, Shanni, Mon, Karenni, and Ta’ang groups, among others.

Padoh Saw Taw Nee, a spokesman for the Karen National Union (KNU), which has been battling the military for decades for more autonomy along the border with Thailand, told news agency AFP that talks were only possible if the military agreed to “common political objectives.”

“Number one: no military participation in future politics. Two: they (the military) must agree to a federal democratic constitution.”

“Number three: they have to be accountable for everything they have committed… including war crimes and crimes against humanity. No impunity.”

“If they don’t agree with it, then nothing will happen,” he added saying that the group will continue pushing pressure on the junta both “political” and “militarily”.

As well as battling determined resistance to its rule, the junta is also struggling with the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, which triggered major flooding leaving more than 400 dead and hundreds of thousands in need of help.

Myanmar Coup

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s military, known as the Tatmadaw, orchestrated a coup d’état, overthrowing the democratically elected government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD). T

he coup occurred just hours before the newly elected parliament was set to convene following the NLD’s victory in the November 2020 elections. The military justified their actions by alleging widespread electoral fraud – claims that were widely dismissed by international observers.

The coup led to the detention of key political figures, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor (a position equivalent to the Prime Minister) Aung San Suu Kyi. The military’s actions sparked widespread protests and a civil disobedience movement across the country. Citizens from various walks of life, including civil servants, healthcare workers, and students, took to the streets to demand the restoration of democracy.

The military’s response to the protests was brutal. Security forces used live ammunition, rubber bullets, and tear gas against demonstrators. Reports of arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings emerged, drawing condemnation from the international community.

Worst Humanitarian Crisis

As per the UN, at least 5,350 civilians have been killed, and more than 3.3 million displaced, since the military seized power on February 1, 2021. Over half the population is living below the poverty line mainly due to violence perpetrated by the national armed forces, the report says. Furthermore, nearly 27,400 people have been arrested, and numbers have been rising since the implementation of mandatory conscription this past February.

The UN also highlights the atrocities faced by the Rohingyas in the country, which the organization deemed the “most persecuted minority in the world.” The UN reported Humanitarian atrocities against the Rohingya during the NLD’s regime, accusing the government of carrying out human rights violations with “genocidal intent”.

Rohingya Muslims represent the largest percentage of Muslims in Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist state, with the majority residing in Rakhine State. Despite their long-standing presence, Myanmar views them as “illegal immigrants” from Bangladesh.