Three soldiers of the ceasefire Pa-O group were killed and several injured after it clashed with troops of the Shan State Army (South) in a gun battle in Mauk Mae Township, southern Shan state on July 7. The Pa-O Army soldiers had earlier assaulted villagers near where the clash occurred.
Col. Shwe Mann led 100 soldiers of the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) and beat up villagers for passing on information to the rebel group, the Shan State Army (South).
"It is learnt that U Zaw Pyan, a 40 year old Kadugyi villager was assaulted by PNO soldiers. While beating him up, they said Shan people had burnt down Pa-O villages in the past. So they would kill Shan people. They especially targeted Shan villagers and Shan villages," a local said.
The PNO and Shan State Army (South) exchanged fire on July 7 in Kadugyi area in Mauk Mae Township, the local added.
"The PNO and SSA-S Army exchanged fire in the eastern part of Nai village at around 8 pm on July 7. Three PNO soldiers were killed and several injured. Nobody was hurt on the SSA-S side," they added.
PNO soldiers had beaten up Shan villagers and looted their belongings in the Kadugyi area in Mauk Mae Township. They arrested the village headman and assaulted him," Maj. Lao Hsai, a spokesperson of SSA-S said.
“It is learnt that Burmese Army column 1 and 2 from infantry battalion (IB) 132, which are under the Lang Hke based strategic command, were backing the PNO Army. It is a kind of conflict being created between Shan and Pa-O people,” U Khun Myint Tun, Secretary of Pa-O National Liberation Front (PNLF) said.
"They are trying to create conflict between Shan and Pa-O people. They do not need to follow what the junta wants. We need to protect ourselves and protect our race and avoid conflict among ethnics, as stated in our policy," he said.
The clash could be a fallout of the junta’s divide and rule strategy. Moreover, the military regime will derive benefit from it, SSA-S spokesperson Maj. Sai Lao Hsai said.
"This kind of fighting should be stopped and a dialogue started between us. We are all living together in Shan State," he added.
In Mauk Mae Township, apart from the Burmese Army, the SSA-S and PNLF are actively patrolling the area. PNLF entered the liberated area again three years ago after the ceasefire agreement was scrapped and took up arms against the Burmese Army.
The joint PNO and Burmese Army columns have been patrolling this area since early March. Three clashes have already occurred in this area from early June to early July.
