Shan Herald Agency for News |
| Burma army attacks Shan army base again Posted: 21 Jun 2013 07:07 AM PDT The Burma army's latest assault on the Shan army was unable to seize the SSA base. A number of injured government soldiers were seen being carried to Lashio, the locals told SHAN.  SSPP/SSA officials and commanders (Photo: SSPP/SSA) On 20 June, from 11.00 to 13.00 hours, a 30-strong unit of Burma Army from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 506 based in Wan Nawng Ka, Kehsi township, launched attack on SSPP/SSA base at Loi Kuk near Nakhiling, Wanphwe tract, a 10km (7 miles) distance from Kehsi. A local from the area told SHAN: "This time the Burma Army has intentionally launched the attack. As the soldiers from Burma army were unable to advance, they have retreated at 1.30 pm. However, at 3.00 pm, Burma Army's Infantry Battalion (IB) 131 from Kehsi arrived about 100 reinforcement troops. But it is not known if it also included other units." Following the offensive assault on the SSA base, a native of Lashio told SHAN that the casualties on both sides were not known, but he has seen 10 stretchers carrying the casualties [soldiers] into the Lashio city. Among them, at least 5 were injured. "Even though we [SSPP/SSA] and Burma Army have signed a ceasefire agreement the latter is still continuously carrying out attacks on us. It signifies that we should have well prepared and ready for self-defence as it can happen at any time. We must be on the alert and not to be negligent," said an SSPP/SSA officer. Loikuk is located in Kehsi township, in the proximity of Mongtung – Mongla in Hsipaw township. The SSPP/SSA troops have been stationed in this region since 2011. The SSPP/SSA is one of the armed groups that have signed a ceasefire agreement with the government-led Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) since January 2012. However, the clashes between government troops and SSA have occurred continuously during the truce. In May, representatives of SSPP/SSA met with the government peace negotiators from UPWC at Tangyan. Both sides reportedly signed an agreement based on 4 points.
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| To Hopeland and back (Part II) #3 Posted: 21 Jun 2013 03:17 AM PDT At 9:30 we were driven to the President's Ledaw Sakhan (Camp Paddy Field) and taken to his air-conditioned field hut. "The same place he received Gen Mutu Sayphoe (of KNU)," one of the escorts informed us. "Chairman Yawdserk is the second ethnic leader he's entertaining here." At 10:00 President Thein Sein arrived, received by his honored guest who presented him with a Buddha image and helped him put on a Shan jacket in place of the Burmese jacket he had gracefully shed.  President Thein Sein, right, is helped to wear a Shan traditional cloth presented to him by Lt. Gen. Ywet Sitt, left, leader of the Shan State Army (SSA), prior to their meeting in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Monday, June 10, 2013. (Photo: AP) The meeting lasted 45 minutes and what follows here is the gist of it: Yawdserk You are the leader that opened up the doors of the country that had been closed since 1962. For this, we admire you. We are ready to cooperate with you to achieve peace. There's no other way to achieve it except through cooperation. Therefore, do let us know how we can help. We are also encouraged to hear that ethnic military units should be formed. We are ready to cooperate with you in forming union armed forces. Issues he raised include:
President The solution to the war that has lasted more than 60 years can be sought only through peaceful means. Evidently it cannot be resolved by way of arms. We have differences. But we also share similarities such as:
We welcome everyone who wishes to return. For those who have yet to have national ID cards, we will provide them. As for those who have acquired foreign citizenship, they will be given national ID cards after they have renounced their foreign citizenships
Please select first priority, second priority and third priority areas for resettlement, and present it to us for consideration. We agree there should be a peace monitoring group. It should be made up of 10 members, 5 from each side:
More liaison offices should be opened if necessary.
Please set up business companies to address the matter
For the elderly, they should set up parties, enter elections and become government if elected. For middle age members, they should engage in businesses and support the organization from the proceeds For young members, they can continue to serve in the military. However, there should be a separation between political parties and armed organizations. At 15:00-16:30, we had a meeting with government ministers, where excerpts from the President's speech were distributed and explained to them by U Aung Min to be used as guidelines in dealing with issues presented by the RCSS. They include ministers for mining, population and immigration, electric power, animal husbandry and home affairs. Another meeting was scheduled for the next day to discuss in detail with departmental heads concerned.  Vice President Sai Mawk Kham and Lt-Gen. Yawdserk at Yadanartheinkha Hotel in Naypyitaw for dinner, on 10 June 2013 (Photo: Facebook/Jastin Minn) At 19:00, Vice President Sai Mawk Kham, a Shan from Muse, held a dinner party in honor of the RCSS delegation. I was seated next to Lt-Gen Yawdserk on my left and Lt-Gen Ko Ko, home minister, on my right. On Yawdserk's left was the Vice President and on Ko Ko's right was Lt-Gen Aung Than Tut, Chief of Bureau of Special Operations #2, who oversees military operations in Shan and Kayah states. The Vice President opened the party with words exhorting, "It's time the unfinished painting since independence, Peace, be done. This golden opportunity should not be missed." When he returned to his seat, he told us about his attendance to the World Economic Forum, 5-7 June, right in Naypyitaw. "The message from the forum was clear: No peace, no investment." He did not elaborate. But I thought his message to the RCSS was that the government has a bigger stake in the peace process than any other stakeholders. After I got back to my room, I was given two paper bags containing presents from the President and the Vice President. Naturally, I went through them and found out they were longyis and shirts. Having not worn the Burmese sarongs for more than 40 years when living among rural Shans for whom a longyi is a representation of something they don't like, I wondered what I was supposed to do with them. |
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