Friday, June 30, 2017

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

2 villagers killed as hundreds flee clashes between Burma Army and TNLA

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 07:17 AM PDT

At least two villagers were killed by shelling and another 300 fled their homes amid fighting between Burmese armed forces and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State.


According to TNLA's news and information department, two local people in Wan Penghoi Village, Kutkhai Township, were killed and another was seriously injured earlier this week when Burmese army battalion 45 launched artillery shells at TNLA positions near the village.

"Tar Aik Tae, 44, died at the scene," the TNLA reported. "His wife Yar Aye Am, 41, was taken to hospital and pronounced dead later. Tar Aik Sam, 53, was seriously injured."

A week of ongoing hostilities also forced villagers to flee their homes in Namhsan Township's Man Lan village.

"In Lashio Township, there are currently 141 evacuees sheltering in Khur Nong Mon temple; 87 people at Shwe Kyethi Thatanar temple; and 79 in Aung Yartharnar temple," resident Sai Seng told Shan Herald. He said that the temples were helping gather support for the evacuees, but rainy season conditions were exacerbating the problems.

The TNLA news reported that some villagers had been captured and detained by the Burmese army, according to a joint statement on June 27 by the Ta'ang Women's Organization and Ta'ang Youth Organization. The statement urged both sides to cease hostilities and release all detainees immediately.

Fighting between Burmese units and the TNLA has broken out regularly in various areas in northern Shan State, including Namhsan, Kyaukme, Kutkhai, Muse and Namkham.

The TNLA was excluded from the first round of peace talks, unofficially dubbed the 21stCentury Panglong Conference, or 21CPC, in 2016. However, the group did attend the second round of political dialogue, represented as a member of the newly formed Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is headed by the United Wa State Army (UWSA).

Joint Monitoring Committee opens in southern Shan State

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 11:38 PM PDT

The Joint Monitoring Committee opened its first local-level office (JMC-L) in southern Shan State's Langkhur Township on Wednesday.

Representatives from local government, military officials and the State Level Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC-S) joined nationwide ceasefire groups the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization (PNLO) for the public launch.


The chairman of the JMC-L is to be commander-in-chief of Langkhur Township, while the RCSS/SSA serves as vice-chairman. The general secretary will be appointed from Langkhur military officials.

Sai Ba Han, a member of JMC-L, said that the office is supported by JMC-S, and will be available to serve the public and deal with their issues.

"These groups are NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement] signatories," he said. "The office has been opened to monitor the peace process. Anyone can file a complaint if they are threatened by any armed groups or any other matters."

He said that the new office will hold meetings with local people in order for them to understand the JMC-L work, adding that next month they plan to meet with local people in Maukmai Township.

National and regional Joint Monitoring Committees were formed after eight ethnic armed groups – the RCSS/SSA; the Karen National Union (KNU); the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA); the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Party-Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC); the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP); the Chin National Front (CNF); the PNLO; and the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) – signed the NCA with the Burmese government on 15 October 2015.

The Shan State JMC was established on January 1, 2016. However, to date only four meetings have been held. The first meeting took place on January 9, 2016, in southern Shan State's Kholam Township, where the headquarters of the Burmese military Central Eastern Command is based.

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

600 villagers hold forest blessing ceremony to oppose coal mining in Nam Ma

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 08:26 AM PDT

On June 23, 2017, about 600 people from over 30 villages gathered in Nam Ma village tract, Hsipaw township, northern Shan State, to hold a religious ceremony to bless the forest and call for a stop to coal mining in the area.


The ceremony, led by fifteen monks, was held at the Ho Na Pa forest area, the main watershed for farmers in Nam Ma tract. Rituals began at 9 am, with monks conferring blessings on the surrounding forest, and villagers praying for the longevity of the forest and natural surroundings. Farmers from southern and eastern Shan State also attended.

Over 3,000 residents of Nam Ma tract and surrounding areas have suffered impacts from the coal mining for over ten years, including loss of farmlands, disruption of water supplies, and dust pollution.

Most of the mining is taking place near Na Koon village, using underground tunnels. In recent months, villagers have been alarmed to see cracks appearing in the earth nearby. On June 24, 2017, a 25-feet deep sinkhole suddenly appeared in a cornfield west of the mine. The next day, smoke suddenly began pouring out of one of the mining tunnels.

Another coal mining site in Nam Ma, at Pieng Hsai village, stopped operation in 2015, but the land has not been restored. The mining pit has filled with water, causing nearby land to subside.

The Shan State Farmers' Network (Nam Ma) is demanding a complete stop to the coal mining.
 "Stop Coal Mining in Nam Ma" a booklet by the Nam Ma Shan Farmers detailing impacts of the mining is available on (http://shanhumanrights.org/eng/index.php/shrf-archives/shrf-english-newsletter/323-stop-coal-mining-in-nam-ma).

Media release by Shan State Farmers' Network (Nam Ma)

Contact person:
Nang Lao         tel:       +95 (0) 94-482-088-58

Download PDF file here : Media release-Eng
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)