One of the topics discussed by the Loi Taileng based Shan State Army (SSA) South from May 22 to 25, was on stories doing the rounds in Thailand that it is actively involved in the two-month long Thai unrest siding with the anti-government Red Shirt protesters.
The result was another rumour, which had raised a wave of concern among the ceasefire groups that are under pressure from the junta to convert themselves into junta-supervised Border Guard Force (BGFs), that the SSA South had been ordered by the Royal Thai Army to move out of their bases on the Thai-Burma border. “The success of our cause depends largely on the goodwill of our neighbours,” one ceasefire commander was reported as saying. “How can we work together, let alone win, if our neighbours are closing their doors on us?”
Adding to the worry are reports that some Shan migrant workers, led by their Red Shirt employers, were seen among the protesters.
During the Yellow Shirt protests in 2006 – 08, there were also reports that some Shans had participated.
“The RCSS (Restoration Council of Shan State, the political wing of the SSA South) respects the Thai monarchy and wishes unity among the Thais. RCSS will not interfere in Thai political crisis,” the statement issued on 26 May stated.
“We are not siding with either the Red Shirts or the Yellow Shirts,” explained Yawdserk, President of the RCSS. “If Thailand is not united, it also hurts our cause.”
The SSA South officers say the rumours must have been circulated by Naypyitaw’s agents in the hope of creating misunderstandings, first, between the Thai people and the Shan resistance, and second, between the SSA South and the ceasefire groups.
“They had earlier upset the ceasefire groups by spreading a story that the SSA South and the Burmese Army were holding a closed door meeting to discuss cooperation against drug-dealing organizations (i.e. the ceasefire groups),” recalled an officer who asked not to be named.
Since Naypyitaw announced the BGF programme designed to bring all armed groups under its command under the principle “One country, one military” in April 2009, relations between ceasefire groups have been improving.
