Coming out on 19 March, a day before the junta run media began calling them “insurgents”, a word synonymous with “terrorists” in the Burmese version, the Shan State Progress Party / Shan State Army (SSPP / SSA) made a flat denial of the accusation.

“We have concluded a ceasefire agreement in order to resolve (political problems) through political means,” it reads. “However, the SPDC government simply ignored our efforts and pressured us by military force to transform ourselves into (SPDC run) militias and surrender.

The multiple attacks on us: 2 in September, 3 in November, 1 in December and 6 in March are all self-evident.”

The statement continues: “We are not struggling on the basis of narrow-minded racism. We are not terrorists and we are not calling for secession.”

The statement claims resorting to military methods in order to resolve political issues only serves to undermine regional security and world peace. “It is like providing a wheel when the economy’s going down,” it adds.

It calls for the new government led by former general Thein Sein to respect and recognize “Equality, Justice and Self Determination which are the birth rights of the people of all national races.”

According to earlier reports, Naypyitaw had given an ultimatum to the group to surrender by 1 April. The statement appears to make it clear that the struggle will continue until “the emergence of a federal union based on the Panglong spirit.”

The 1947 Panglong Agreement had guaranteed total autonomy, human rights and democracy to the non-Burman peoples of Burma