Whilst government and Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP/SSA) delegates held talks on 18th October to urge cooperation and peace the government were reinforcing their troops in SSPP/SSA areas and threatening to attack them if they did not retreat.
The talks were held at the government’s North-Eastern Regional Command in Lashio (Northern Shan State) on 18th October 2014. General Secretary Sao Khun Sai led the SSPP/SSA representatives whilst U Tein Zaw, the Second Vice Chairman of the Union-Level Peace Work Committee (UPWC), led the government representatives. Also amongst those attending were the Northeastern Regional Military Commander General Aung Soe and the Eastern-Central Commander General Ko Ko Naing.
At the meeting the government delegation called for the formation of a cooperation committee for the restoration of peace, stability and development to reduce disputes and confrontations between government forces and the SSPP/SSA.
An SSPP/SSA official said: “Border Security Minister Col. Aung Thu, police colonels and division commanders will be included in that committee. Colonel level officers will be also included from SSPP/SSA side. They said if committee could be formed, battle clashes could be decreased, but our side did not give any promises.”
SSPP/SSA caution may be wise, as the sincerity of the government’s representatives at the meeting appears questionable. While they were calling for peace and cooperation government troops were being reinforced and had threatened SSPP/SSA troops.
The Burma Army told the SSPP/SSA to withdraw their troops and bases from the areas of Pan Ze tract in Ke See township, and Nam Si Zeng and Loi-lang areas in Tangyan township, northern Shan State
An SSPP/SSA communications officer said: “They have told us to withdraw our troops from Pan Ze Tract and Ke See Township. They will tell us the same thing at their meeting in Lashio. They have been reinforcing their troops to give us pressure. If we don’t withdraw our troops, they said they would use force to attack. There were six fully loaded military trucks from Lashio and several military trucks from the Military Operations Commands (MOC, or Sa Ka Kha) 2.”
A resident of Tangyan also said that at least five Burma Army troop trucks were heading to Loi-lang, Tangyan Township.
A union level ceasefire was agreed between the government and the SSPP/SSA in January 2012. Since then there have been hundreds of clashes between the government and the SSPP/SSA. The government has also repeatedly sent in reinforcements and occupied SSPP/SSA areas whilst delegates from the two groups were involved in peace negotiations.
