The denial came in response to a statement issued on 23 May by the army.

Speaking at a press conference held at Wan Hwai Village Group in Mong Kung Township on 2 June 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 Burma Army's statement was inaccurate.

He said: “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.”

Sai Mai from the Ham Ngai Village Group of Mong Kung Township said: “We went to Loi Tai Leng [RCSS/SSA] headquarters because a representative from each village was sent to observe agriculture and rural area development activities and there was also a Revolution Day ceremony at the headquarters. The 32 people arrested by the Burma Army are not new recruits. They are normal civilians.”

Hla Kwe, one of 32 people arrested by the Burma Army last month said: “Our group encountered the Burma Army’s military column on the 18th [May]. The Burma Army took us to the military [camp] by 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.”

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 non NCA signatory Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA).

According to relatives of those detained villagers from Theinni Townshp, they have been charged with Section 17-1 of the Unlawful Association Act.