The Shan State Special Region #4, otherwise the National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS), based in Mongla, opposite China’s Daluo, has been instructed by the Burmese Army to submit its list of manpower and weapons, according to reports filtering to the Thai-Burma border.

The directive was issued separately to each brigade command by corresponding Burmese Army commands on November 9:

• Central Authority and 896th Brigade, based in Mongla, by Triangle Region Command, based in Kengtung
• 369th Brigade, based in Hsaleu, by Mongkhark area command
• 911th Brigade, based in Nampan, by Mongyawng area command

According to the ruling junta’s administrative structure, Mongla is a separate township, while Hsalue and Nampan are in Mongyang and Mongyawng townships respectively. (Mongyang, in turn, comes under Mongkhark area command)

Col Than Tut Thein, Chief of G-1, made a two-day trip to Mongla  on November 9  to deliver the instructions.

He was informed afterwards that the Mongla leadership was not ready yet to present the list. “He was asked why Naypyitaw had refused to consider the proposal by the ceasefire groups, while issuing one demand after another for them to agree to,” said an informed source who recently returned from Mongla. “The Colonel was unable to give a satisfactory answer.”

Than Tut Thein’s visit coincided with that of a Wa delegation led by Bao Youri, Deputy General Secretary of the United Wa State Party (UWSP) and the Wa supreme leader Bao Youxiang’s elder brother. He was reportedly accompanied by two other top leaders: Zhao Guo-ang and Ying Shenbeng. The Wa delegation arrived in Mongla on 8 November and left on 10 November, the same day as Than Tut Thein.

Sources say the presence of Wa and junta representatives at the same time was an accidental affair.

There is as yet no official or unofficial statement on the Wa visit by either group. “There is only one thing we can say right now,” said a source close to the Wa leadership. “The Kokang debacle will not be repeated in Mongla.”

Fire broke out at the Mongla market on November 3 night, which was quickly put out after it destroyed several shops. No culprit has been traced.

Meanwhile, Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Naypyitaw’s chief negotiator, is due to meet leaders of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’ in a few days, according to a source on the Sino-Burma border.

Naypyitaw so far has inaugurated the formation of Border Guard Forces (BGFs) by the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K), Kokang and Karenni Nationalities People’s Liberation Front (KNPLF).