Ruili (Mizzima) – The military government will issue car registration certificates to the leaders of the armed ceasefire group Shan State Army – North (SSA-N), according to sources in the group.

The Lashio-based northeastern military command last month informed the SSA-N that high ranking officers and rebel officials will be granted car registration documents to facilitate the registration of illegally imported vehicles.

Officers of the ceasefire group, locally known as a peace group, have provided their names to get registration numbers.

Motor vehicles owned by members of the SSA-N were previously granted special registration plates until 2004's ousting of then Prime Minister, intelligence guru and architect of several ceasefire pacts between the junta and ethnic armed groups, Khin Nyunt, who had authorized certain special privileges for the SSA-N.

However, all vehicles operating with the old registration plates were seized just after the arrest of Khin Nyunt and the abolishment of his Military Intelligence apparatus by then northeastern military commander General Myint Hlaing.