Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services
Statement on Ceasefire and Eternal Peace
(6th Waxing of Wagaung, 1382 ME)
(24 August, 2020)
1. The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services issued a statement on 9 May 2020 that the Tatmadaw put into effect for ceasefire in the areas from 10 May to 31 August 2020 except the areas of the terrorist organizations declared by the government meeting the international standard, with the aim of carrying out more effective and rapid prevention, control and treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and restoring eternal peace in Myanmar on a wider scale and will effectively carry out continuous participation in prevention and control of COVID-19 with might and main as national cause.
2. As global countries are encountering world pandemic COVID-19, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the United Nations on 23 March 2020 urged all to stop armed conflicts happening throughout the world and issued the Appeal for Global Ceasefire of the UN Secretary-General. As part of supporting the Appeal for Global Ceasefire of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on 1 July that all stakeholders involved in the armed conflicts were urged to implement the ceasefire at least 90 days with the aim of providing humanitarian aid during the COVID-19 period and to give a helping hand to responding to the COVID-19. Our country, being a member country of the United Nations, is responsible for abiding by international ethics and the resolution of the United Nations and is practising them similar to that of other countries.
3. Moreover, the information was released that the Tatmadaw will continuously take preventive and control measures of COVID-19 with might and main as national duty and will extend suspension of military movements in the areas from 1 to 30 September 2020 except the areas of the terrorist organizations declared by the government meeting the international standard so as to carry out more effective and rapid undertakings of prevention and control of the disease and effectively and successfully implement the part-3 of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement signed in the fourth session of the Union Peace Conference - 21st Century Panglong.
Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services