On 3 May the Burma Army’s public relations department banned Burmese media organisations from reporting on the activities of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army’s (MNDAA-Kokang group) at the ethnic armed groups’ conference.
The conference has been organized to support the NCA and is being held from 1 to 6 May in Pansang (Pankham) Town at the United Wa State Army (UWSA) headquarters in an area of Eastern Shan State controlled by the UWSA.
According to people who are close to the Shan State Police Department the Burma Army Information Department sent a letter to the temporary Myanmar Press Council (MPC – Temporary). It said: “Since the government recognises the MNDAA as an illegal organization the army is giving notice to media [organizations] that they are not to report any news of the Kokang group’s statements on television or in the press and if they do action will be taken [against them] under the current laws.
U Aung Myint, the UWSA spokesperson said: “This goes against the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and it is not normal. The invitation to the Kokang group was not a decision just made by our organisation, our brotherhood of ethnic organizations all decided [together] that the Kokang group should be part of the ceasefire and be able to say what they want.”
U Khun Sai from the Pyidaungsu Institute for Peace and Dialogue told S.H.A.N. News: “All must be included in the NCA and I think this matter may take a long time.”
U Zaw Thet Htwe from the Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC) said: “This could cause complications, it seems as if the army again want to control the freedom of the press.”
The Peng Jia Shin led Kokang group had previously fought with the government in 2009. They then went into hiding to reorganize and were not heard of for the next six years until they started fighting again with the Burma Army on 9 February 2015.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
Burma Army's Statement to the Media
