Shan Herald Agency for News

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One dead and two injured after shootout in meeting between Wa and Burma Army officials Posted: 25 Sep 2015 01:05 AM PDT One official from the Burma government's division of Military Security Affairs (MSA) was killed and two officials from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) were seriously injured after the two sides opened fire during a meeting on Wednesday in southern Shan State's Mong Ton Township. The incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. in a house in Nar Kong Mu village while the Wa and Burma Army officials were discussing disputed land in Mongsat Township. After an argument between the two groups allegedly escalated, both began shooting at one another, leaving Ngyi Ngyi Aung, the MSA official, with gunshot wounds to his stomach. He was taken to the nearby Mongsat Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. "The Burma officials were on an inspection trip regarding the disputed land," said a source close to both parties. He explained that the Burma Army allegedly asked the Wa officials to clarify the boundaries of their territory in the area, but that "the answer from the Wa was unclear." "The Burma Army official got angry and then opened fire," he said. The source added that the case has now been reassigned to the headquarters of the Burma Army's regional command in Keng Tung, eastern Shan State "We will apologize if we are wrong," said U Ta Lue, an official from the UWSA-South. "They [the Burma Army] were the ones who first opened fire. Therefore, they should apologize to us." In a meeting in Keng Tung earlier this month, U Thein Zaw, vice chairman of the government's Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) told the UWSA's representatives that there would be no guarantee for the security of UWSA-controlled areas in southern Shan State if they do not sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA); the signing is scheduled to be held in the first week of October. The UWSA have had a presence in Mongsat since 1998, when Burma was under the rule of Khin Nyunt, the military general who briefly served as the country's Prime Minister. BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N.)

Ceasefire signing ‘do or die’ for Naypyitaw Posted: 24 Sep 2015 11:09 PM PDT For the government, the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) before the November elections is a mission that must be completed regardless of the number of ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) involved, said government chief negotiator U Aung Min, during the 6th forum on the framework for political dialogue (FPD) which was held on 14 September, In Rangoon. "For us, it is a 'do or die' mission," he said. Dr Min Zaw Oo, from the government technical team Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), seconded him by saying, "Ta-tet-sa-le-kyetthun, Hna-tet-sa-le-kyetthun (Eat one section, it's garlic; eat two sections, it's still garlic — old Burmese saying). It doesn't matter how many EAOs are signing. It is NCA. There'll be an open book for those who are yet to sign." It was a day after U Aung Min and U Thein Zaw, his co-chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC), returned from a two-day visit to Shan State East capital Kengtung, where they met the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) representatives. The UWSA, 5 days earlier, had issued a statement that since it would mean a breach of promise made to the Yunnan government not to allow the western nations to be involved in conflicts along the Sino-Bumese border, it could not be expected to be a co-signatory of the NCA. (China, on 21 May 2014, had called for a "New Asian Security Concept" which would exclude anyone from outside of Asia from playing a role in Asian security.) Other major EAOs that are yet to state whether or not they would sign include Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), among others. The NCA is expected to be signed during the first half of October. The EAOs are planning to hold another "summit", 28 – 30 September, in Chiangmai in order to reach a decision on the matter.

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