The ongoing recruitment campaign of the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ can unintentionally help the cause of the ruling military junta, especially the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), according to border ...
The ongoing recruitment campaign of the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ can unintentionally help the cause of the ruling military junta, especially the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), according to border watchers on the Thai-Burma border and elderly people in Shan State East.
“It can also encourage people to vote for the USDP instead of ethnic parties especially to the Shan party if force is used,” a border resident said. “Local villagers are unaware of the election process and they also don’t know much about the political parties. They just think that the Shan party and the SSA ‘South’ are the same like the junta and USDP are the same, though the latter has declared opposition to the elections.”
On 16 October, at about 20:00, a 50 strong unit of SSA ‘South’ was said to have taken 16 men from Shan State East’s Mongton Township, opposite Thailand’s Chiangmai province. Twelve were from Wanmai Hwehsai village and four others were from the town, a local source said.
The action has so frightened local people some even abstain from going outside and attending election campaigns especially by Shan Nationalities Democracy Party (SNDP), according to an elder from Mongton.
“People who don’t know and understand well about the party refuse to allow the SNDP to enter their villages and campaign,” he said.
Following the incident, the Burmese Army ordered all villages to inform about the SSA fighters’ movements, local sources said.
On 15 October, the BBC reported that two men and one woman from Pongpakhem sub-township, Mongton were taken by the group on 12 October.
Sai Lao Hseng, spokesperson of SSA “South” told SHAN that every Shan man of ages between 18 and 45 years old are required to take five years armed service according to its’ policy.
“We informed village headmen before giving them the list of their villagers chosen to serve the cause,” he said. “We also asked them to meet us if they have problems. But no one came.”
The SSA’s recruitment campaign started since July after the Burmese Army reinforced troops in areas along the Thai-Burma border.
The Burmese Army and the United Wa State Army are also conducting own recruiting campaigns.
The opposition parties have complained that “No vote/ Vote No” campaigns by anti-junta activists are hurting them more than the USDP.
