Some 20 armed group members surrender in Myanmar in 3 months

A total of 20 individual members from some anti-government ethnic armed groups in Myanmar laid down their arms to the government forces in different military command areas in the three months of August, September and October 2011, the state-run daily New Light of Myanmar reported Friday. These members were from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Shan State Army (SSA)'s Wunhai Group and Ywetsit Group, and Kayin National Union (KNU)'s Saw Labwe Group. In the previous three months of May, June and July, 17 members from five anti-government ethnic armed groups -- KIA, SSA, KNU, United Wa State Army (UWSA) and Kayinni National Progressive Party (KNPP) surrendered to the government forces, according to earlier report. The government said a total of 17 main anti-government armed groups and 23 small groups have so far made peace with the government, returning to the legal fold under respective cease- fire agreements since 1989. Meanwhile, Myanmar's central government, in its peace efforts, issued an announcement on Aug. 18, calling on anti-government ethnic armed groups to come for peace talks to end internal armed insurrection and build internal peace in the country. In response to the government's call, so far, Wa ethnic group in Shan State Special Region-2 and Mongla Group in Shan State Special Region-4 started their peace talks in Lashio and Kengtung respectively with the central government early this month.