S.H.A.N. has learned that the state government has ordered the authorities in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, and other district level cities to organise demonstrations in support of the peace process.
People needed to take part in demonstration marches whilst holding placards on 6 April in Linkhe, Loilem, Kunhein, and Taunggyi towns in Southern Shan State, Lashio, Muse, and Kyaukme towns in Northern Shan State, and Tachileik, Kyaington, and Mongsat-Mongton towns in Eastern Shan State said local residents who had been told to take part in the demonstrations.
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| Demonstration in Taunggyi |
Khun Hto from Taunggyi Town said: “Not only [people from the] 22 wards came and joined in at Taunggyi, but also [people] from village tracts. It was compulsory that one person from each household attended which is why I came. We didn’t know before we came [what we were going to be doing], we only found out when we arrived.”
A Shan State government official said that they want to show support for the signing of the final draft of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) between the government’s Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC) and the ethnic Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) on 31 March.
U Kaung San Oo the director of the Shan State Government said: “These are the [true] feelings of the people. The state government only gives guidance, we did not order people to do this.”
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| Demonstration in Loilem |
A 50-year-old man from Loilem Town said that while demonstrators in Loilem Town were not paid and missed their lunches because they were demonstrating, the people who demonstrated in Kuaukme Town were given 1,500 kyats
Local residents from Mongpon, Panlon, and Loilem gathered in the centre of Loilem Town. From there they started out on a 40-minute demonstration march from Ward 1 to Ward 4. There were about 3,000 people demonstrating in Loilem Town.
To ensure the demonstrations took place the relevant township administrators sent summons to wards and village tracts, according to residents of Namhkam Town.
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| Summons Letter Ordering People to Take Part in Demonstrations |
The participants shouted five slogans at the demonstrations: “We want a successful peace process,” “We want peace talks to start,” Those who destroy the peace process are the people’s enemy” and “The peace agreement must be successfully signed.”
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
