Fighting still continues between the Burma Army and its sister organization, the Shan State Army (SSA) South, on the Sino-Burmese border, but the SSA North has reached agreement to “faithfully observe” the ceasefire signed last year, according to a joint statement issued Saturday, 11 May.
It was signed by U Thein Zaw, Vice Chairman # 3, of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) and Maj Gen Kherh Tai, Vice Chairman of the Shan State Progress Party / Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), as the SSA North is officially known.
The meeting, held in Tangyan, was also attended
U Win Myint, Minister for Trade
Sao Aung Myat, Chief Minister, Shan State Government
Maj Gen Than Tut Oo, Commander, Triangle Region Command
Brig Gen Aung Soe, Commander, Northeastern Region Command
Brig Gen Min Naung, Commander, Central Eastern Region command
and 5 others on the government side.
The 4 point agreement signed by the two sides are:
- To faithfully observe the agreements reached earlier both at the state and union level
- To peacefully resolve problems arising from deployment and movement of troops by the two sides
- To avoid imposing burden on the populace by unlawful actions
- To immediately meet and resolve in a transparent manner for every problems that give rise to mutual suspicions
“The President probably wants things to be quiet while he’s on a visit to the United States,” a Thai security official remarked after reading the text of the agreement.
President Thein Sein is reportedly leaving on 17 May.
Meanwhile, fighting is still going on further north in the Mao Valley on the Sino-Burmese border following Burma Army attack and seizure on 9 May of a temporary base set up by the SSA South. The Burma Army’s violation of the ceasefire has sent thousands of people across the border, said local sources in Namkham.
