The letter was addressed to the Muse Township Health Department, ward-administrators and the township police force office and has been sent to some suburban and rural areas on February 18, according to local residents.

“The township administrative office came to see the administrators of Taw Ywat, Phway Hong, and Ho Naung wards and gave the letter. When we asked other wards and groups, we heard that some received them while some haven’t received them,” said Sai Sai, a local resident of Muse.

The two-point letter stated that it was written based on the telegram sent by the district administrator on February 18. 

According to the letter, there has been frequent fighting with ‘insurgent organizations’ in the northern Shan State and injured soldiers from these organizations used to seek medical treatment in China. However, Myanmar and China has reached a state-level agreement to ban them from receiving medical treatment in China.

People seeking medical treatments for small and big arms injuries in hospitals and clinics should be reported to respective departments and military divisions in time, the letter stated.

The Muse Township Administrative office told Shan Herald that the letter was issued due to the reference letter from the higher authority.

However, village group administrators have been summoned to the township administrative office on February 20, two days after the letter was issued.

According to unconfirmed news reports, these letters have been withdrawn.

The Northern Alliance Army, the Tatmadaw, and two Shan ethnic armed organizations are active in the northern Shan State, leading to frequent fighting.