Cease-Fire Groups

   Between 1989 and the late 1990s, 22 major and minor ethnic armed groups signed cease-fires with the State Law and Order Restoration Council/State Peace and Development Council:

   • Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA, 1989)

   • United Wa State Army (UWSA, 1989)

   • National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA, 1989)

   • Shan State Army-North (1989)

   • New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K, 1989)

   • Kachin Defence Army (former KIA Fourth Brigade, 1991)

   • Pa-O National Organization (1991)

   • Palaung State Liberation Party (1991)

   • Kayan National Guard (1992)

   • Kachin Independence Army (KIA, 1994)

   • Karenni Nationalities People's Liberation Front (1994)

   • Kayan New Land Army (1994)

   • Shan State Nationalities Liberation Organization (1994)

   • New Mon State Party (1995)

   • Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA, breakaway Karen National

   • Union group, 1995)

   • Mongko Peace Land Force (Kokang breakaway group, 1995)

   • Shan State National Army (1995)

   • Mong Tai Army (MTA, 1996)

   • Karenni National Defence Army (1996)

   • Karen Peace Force (former Karen National Union battalion, 1997)

   • Communist Party of Burma (Arakan State, 1997)

   • KNU 2d Brigade Special Region Group-Toungoo (1997)

   Although many of these armed groups were members of the Democratic Alliance of Burma, the cease-fires undermined a united front among the ethnic minorities and opened their territories to closer economic and other connections with Rangoon (Yangon) and foreign countries. As of early 2005, groups that had not yet signed cease-fires were the Karen National Union, the Shan State Army-South, the Chin National Front, the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO), and the Karenni National Progressive Party, which agreed to a cease-fire in 1995 that subsequently broke down. Following the purge of Khin Nyunt in October 2004, there was evidence that other groups might withdraw from cease-fire arrangements.

   See also Border Area Development.