“We planned to hold a pre-dialogue in Taunggyi on January 7 to 9. If we can’t hold it in Taunggyi, we won’t be able to hold it in Langhko. If we can’t do the ND (national dialogue) in Langhko, we won’t be able to attend the third UPC (Union Peace Conference). We have nothing to present even if we attend it,” said General Yawd Serk, the leader of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army South (RCSS/SSA-S) and also chair of the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU).

The top leaders of the RCSS/SSA-S held a meeting to discuss this issue, but they were unable to decide whether the pre-dialogue should be held in Taunggyi.

Sources close to the leaders said the national-level political dialogue cannot be held in Langhko from January 12 to 14 since the government and the Tatmadaw have obstructed the pre-dialogue in Taunggyi.

The Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) was unable to contact the RCSS/SSA-S spokesperson.

However, a member of the CSSU secretarial group told the Shan Herald that the group decided on January 4 to cancel the pre-dialogue in Taunggyi.

“The district administrator has been preparing for the Shan dialogue using the budget given by the Shan State government. He has made preparations to expand New-Wadi Hall and the toilets. He also arranged accommodations at the residential homes due to lack of hotels. Today, the local residents and the district administrator cleaned and arranged the accommodations at the four-storied meditation center,” said U Sai Naw, a local community elder who is helping in preparation of the event.

The Tatmadaw used force in obstructing the public consultations held by the organising committee to prepare for the national-level political dialogue on December 17-24.

The Tatmadaw has banned meetings and public consultations relating to the Shan national-level political dialogue in other towns including Taunggyi and Panglong. Langhko is the only town the authorities officially allowed for Shan national-level dialogue.