Shan Herald Agency for News |
- RCSS/SSA says villagers arrested by army were not conscripts
- KNPP to discuss with the government for an all-inclusive ceasefire
- SNLD opposes plan to expand household lists for internal migrants
| RCSS/SSA says villagers arrested by army were not conscripts Posted: 18 Jun 2016 05:05 AM PDT The Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) says a group of villagers arrested last month by the Burma army in eastern Shan State were not troops who had been forcibly recruited by the group. The denial came in response to a statement issued last month by the army.
Speaking at a press conference held at Wan Hwai village group in Mong Kung Township on June 2nd, Major Sai Han, who is responsible for the RCSS/SSA in Mong Kung Eastern Area No 7, explained to local residents and the media that the announcement released by the Burma Army on May 23 was not accurate. "We don't have any policy on recruitment since we signed the NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement]. No order [to recruit] has come from the upper-level. The news release from the Burma Army on 23 May is not concerned with us," said Major Sai Han. "We went to Loi Tai Leng headquarters because a representative from each village was sent to observe agriculture and rural area development acclivities and there was also a Resistance Day ceremony at the headquarters. The 33 people arrested by the Burma Army are not new recruits. They are normal civilians," explained Sai Mai, a member of Ham Ngai village group of Mong Kung Township. "Our group encountered the Burma Army's military column on the 18th (18 May). The Burma Army took us to the military [camp] with a vehicle. We were divided into groups of four and interrogated. They told us to say that the RCSS has been recruiting new soldiers. We were interrogated from 6 pm to 3:30 am. We had to stay there for ten days and nine nights. Among our group, a man called Sai Nyunt was taken with a hood [on his head] and he still hasn't been released yet," said Hla Kwe, one of 32 people arrested by the Burma Army last month. The Burma Army also arrested eight residents of Pan Sone Village in Theinni Township at the end of May accusing them of being soldiers with the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA). According to relatives of the detained villagers from Theinni Townshp, they have been charged with Section 17-1 of the Unlawful Association Act. | ||
| KNPP to discuss with the government for an all-inclusive ceasefire Posted: 18 Jun 2016 04:54 AM PDT The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) will discuss with Burma's government ways that all ethnic armed groups can be included in the nationwide ceasefire and peace process, a senior official from the KNPP tells the Shan Herald.  The KNPP, held a meeting at its headquarters with top-ranking leaders on the subject of future peace talks with the new government. It was decided at this meeting that the KNPP would continue to advocate for an all-inclusive peace process, the KNPP's Secretary (2) U Shwe Myo Thant said. "The policy hasn't changed. We will continue to cooperate with the UNFC [United Nationalities Federal Council], which is a coalition of ethnic armed groups. We have decided to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement only when everyone is included," explained U Shwe Myo Thant. During the meeting held at the KNPP's headquarters on the Thai-Burmese border, Khu Oo Reh the KNPP's Vice Chairman and Commander-in-Chief Gen Bee Htoo were selected to lead the negotiations with the government. Under the leadership of the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese government is planning on holding a 21st Century Panglong Conference. The government's Peace Committee plans to meet with ethnic armed groups that still have not signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement. Only eight ethnic armed groups have signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement with the previous Thein Sein administration. A number of other armed groups have refused to sign it citing the government's failure to include other groups. The Commander-in-Chief of the Burma Forces Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Arakan Army (AA), and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army/ Palaung State Liberation Front (TNLA/PSLF) need to disarm first before beginning peace talks. | ||
| SNLD opposes plan to expand household lists for internal migrants Posted: 18 Jun 2016 04:49 AM PDT The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), the second largest party in Shan State's parliament, has indicated that it will strongly oppose a move by Burma's new government to expand household list registration to workers and families who have migrated to ethnic areas like Shan State, from other parts of the country. The National League for Democracy (NLD) has made expanding the household list registration to include internal migrants, as one of its priorities for its first 100 days of office.  "Our party will oppose it in parliament. We can accept it if they [the government] issue temporary registration cards, but now they are going to issue household lists. If [the migrants] get the household lists, they will become residents of that area," said U Sai Nyunt Lwin, the SNLD's general secretary. Whereas previously those who had migrated internally would have to wait many years to be registered for a household list, the new rules will make it possible for those who have lived in an area for at least 6 months to get this. This proposed policy change has raised many concerns amongst ethnic people that it will help contribute to a radical change in the ethnic make up their local communities. Ethnic Mon groups, including monks, have also called on the government to review the proposed changes. The Mon groups have alleged that the revised lists procedures are part of a territorial expansion into ethnic areas and internal colonization policy. They also claim that internal migration will lead to the disappearance of literature, culture, traditions and customs of ethnic people and "ruin friendship between ethnic people". The previous military regime was accused of using internal migration as part of its overall strategy to expand control over the country by sending non-ethnic residents including former military officers to ethnic areas. Resettling outsiders to ethnic areas was alleged to have been part of the army's plan to expand territorial control over ethnic areas. Reached for comment a representative of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army told the Shan Herald that the issue of internal migration was an ongoing concern. "What will our Shan [people] do? The amount of migration is high so it's like trying to find the start of the problem," said Col. Sai La, Secretary (2) of the RCSS/SSA. Some observers have also questioned whether the proposed household list registration changes were being done to make it easier for the NLD to win the vote in ethnic areas in future elections. "We need to ask whether this is a preparation in advance for the 2020 Election," said Sai Aung Myint Oo from the Shan Youth Network. Many cities and towns in Shan State, including the state capital Taunggyi, are thought to have more residents who originate from outside the state than residents who originate from the state. BY Staff/Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) |
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