The Tatmadaw’s Eastern Command has charged the six men with possession of weapon and banditry.

The four RCSS/SSA-S soldiers and two civilians were arrested by the Tatmadaw while they were sleeping inside a hut on Lawksawk and Nawnghkio in the southern Shan State in the late December, according to their lawyer Sao Myawaddy.

“They were arrested at the end of December. But they were only taken to court two months ago. A decision has been set down to file charges against them for possession of weapon and banditry in Taunggyi District Court. We will submit to the Shan State Hluttaw to dismiss the Taunggyi District Court’s decision to file the charges,” she said.

Sao Myawaddy said guns, magazine, mobile phones, computer, and donation receipts have been seized from the detained men.

Among the two detained civilians, one of them is a blind man and the other is a market seller who was arrested while he was sleeping inside the hut after his motorcycle’s tire blew out.

The four RCSS/SSA-S soldiers and two civilians have been detained at Taunggyi No 2 Police Station.

They can receive up to seven years in prison for possession of weapon and from ten years to life in prison for banditry.

Lt-Col Sai Oo, head of the RCSS/SSA-S Taunggyi Liaison Office, said the RCSS/SSA-S is a signatory of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) and it has the right to travel freely in the areas.

“It seems to be a violation of the NCA to surround the areas where our troops are present and arrest them. Currently, four soldiers and two civilians have been arrested in Lawksawk. We plan to discuss this issue at the JMC,” said Lt-Col Sai Oo.

He added that arrests against members of ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) should not be made during the trust-building period between the EAOs and the Tatmadaw as it could destroy trust.

Eight civilians were sentenced between one year and ten years in prison in Hopong Township in the eastern Shan State last February for having ties with the RCSS/SSA-S.