Following fighting between the Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) in northern Shan State 23 villagers are missing.
PSLF/TNLA armed forces (left) and RCSS/SSA-S armed forces (right)PSLF/TNLA armed forces (left) and RCSS/SSA-S armed forces (right)
In a public statement released on 6 December the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) in Nam Kham Township said that the missing civilians, all men aged between 18 and 57, had been detained by the PSLF/TNLA since the end of November and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The PSLF/TNLA’s News and Information Office denied arresting civilians or committing any act of torture during the conflict period.
Since 27 November there have been a number of clashes between the two ethnic armed organisations (EAOs).
The SNDP also implored the ethnic armed groups to stop fighting. Their statement said: “As it is the time of peace building and citizen security, the RCSS/SSA-S and PSLF/TNLA [are requested] to stop the fighting and cease all hostilities immediately.”
In statements published by the RCSS/SSA-S on the Tai Freedom website and by the PSLF/TNLA on social media both groups claimed that the other group had “ambushed” them.
On 1 December a Tai Freedom report said that RCSS/SSA soldiers were attacked in contested areas in the Shwelli River Valley near Nam Kham as they were returning from a nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) workshop that had been held at their Loi Tai Leng base on the Thai-Burma border.
On 3 December the RCSS/SSA-S spokesperson Colonel Sai Hla told SHAN that the group had been active in the Nam Kham area since 2005. He said: “We were just going back to our territory."
On 6 December the PSLF/TNLA issued a statement that said the fighting had occurred because the RCSS/SSA-S had entered PSLF/TNLA territory "without permission” and that Kyaukme, Namhsan, Manton and Nam Kham townships are areas where the TNLA is active.
The tension between the two groups has been linked to the controversial NCA. The RCSS/SSA-S was one of the eight EAOs that signed the NCA, whereas the PSLF/TNLA was one of the groups that was banned by the government from signing the NCA.
The PSLF/TNLA accused the RCSS/SSA-S of being “allied” with the Burma Army since they signed the NCA. They also alleged that three Burma Army battalions “protected” the RCSS/SSA-S as they shelled the PSLF/TNLA in clashes at the end of November.
The RCSS/SSA-S denied these claims.
In their 6 December statement the PSLF/TNLA also said: “The conflict between RCSS and TNLA is just a conflict between armed groups. It is not a conflict between Ta’ang people and Shan people.”
In central Shan State, 10,000 people, including Shan, Ta’ang, Lahu and Lisu villagers, remain displaced by fighting between the Burma Army and the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N), another group which opted out of signing the NCA, citing a lack of inclusivity.
Continued peace talks based on the NCA’s framework are scheduled to continue later this month.
By Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N) Staff
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
