Myanmar marks 10 years since the ceasefire deal as conflict worsens. Many signatories voided the deal, and hopes for peace are fading.

Naypyidaw

Myanmar's military junta is commemorating the 10-year anniversary of a ceasefire agreement, originally intended to end decades of ethnic conflict. However, the country remains in turmoil following the 2021 coup, with ongoing civil war and thousands of casualties. Ko Htein, a former graphic designer turned rebel fighter, describes his decision to join the armed resistance after peaceful protests were violently suppressed. He highlights the importance of unity among ethnic armed groups and the challenges posed by the junta’s tactics, including targeting civilians. Ko Htein expresses hope for a future federal state and a peaceful return to his diverse homeland once the conflict ends.

From graphic designer to rebel: Ko Htein’s fight for a free Myanmar

Myanmar's junta is marking the 10-year anniversary of a ceasefire that was signed to end more than six decades of ethnic conflict. A ceremony will be followed by a two-day peace forum. It's all happening under the shadow of a widening civil war in Myanmar. It's something which has killed thousands of people. The country's been in turmoil since the coup in 2021. Al Jazeera spoke to a rebel fighter along the Myanmar-Thailand border. He says there's little to celebrate. My name is Ko Tay. I was a volunteer and a freelance graphic designer before the coup. After the coup, because I did not want the next generation to live under the regime, I decided to take up arms and fight back. The national ceasefire agreement was signed in 2015 when I was around 30 years old. Ten groups signed the deal but many other groups were not involved. Now it's the 10-year anniversary, six of the signatories just issued a statement saying that the agreement ended with the coup. I heard around 1 a.m. on that day in 2021 that they were going to stage a coup. I joined the armed revolution because we had demonstrated peacefully but they cracked down violently. So I began training with the People's Defence Force. It was my very first military experience. On our first engagement we attacked an outpost in Karen State. It was very scary but I got used to it. It is important for ethnic armed organizations to work in unity. If these ethnic groups work together I believe we can succeed sooner. In southern Karen State the different rebel groups are not united. If they were we could defeat the hunter faster. The hunter understands that targeting civilians gives them the upper hand. Displaced people can become a burden for the resistant forces. These are Karen people from Lake Akar town. They are seeking refuge by the river in order to cross the safety in case hunter forces attack. I think there will be federal states after the military hunter collapses. We need agreements not to fight each other because there are many weapons in circulation. You can see my homeland over there. When the revolution succeeds I will go back to live in my beautiful homeland with its many ethnicities and diverse cultures. I will go home one day.

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