Violence flares up in Namhkham, Shan State: TNLA

 

On April 25, TNLA Battalion 478 opened fire on the army’s Htainkan Camp in Lwel Chat Village in Namhkham. The camp, a tea factory taken over by troops, is situated along the Shwe underground gas pipeline.

“The ambush happened around 5am Friday. The camp troops used force to collect money from the civilians,” TNLA secretary general Lt-Col. Tar Bone Kyaw, told Eleven Media.

Afterwards, the TNLA raided the militia in Mongpan Village at 6.30am and found eight M22 long rifles, one carbine, one pistol and a number of illicit drugs, according to the information department of PSLF/TNLA (Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army).

The fighting between the government army, Pan Say Kyaw Myint’s militia and TNLA began in early April.

“When we organise our people, we need access to the areas controlled by the government. But they did not allow us and opened fire [at the TNLA]. That’s why fighting [has] renewed. Pan Say Kyaw Myint’s militia was formed by the government and they could not resist its order and started fighting us,” said Tar Bone Kyaw.

The government forces under the North-East Command and the TNLA’s Battalion-478 from Namhkham and Battalion-112 from Kutkai were involved in the clashes.

“We fought with the remaining battalions from the government’s Division 88 which has been in Kachin State. According to local sources, there were 16 casualties from the government side and no casualties from our side,” said Tar Bone Kyaw.

The fighting will continue in Shan State unless the government stops expanding itsmilitary presence, he added.

There was no response from the Ministry of Defence and North-East Command when contacted for comment.

The TNLA, an ally of Kachin Independence Army, operates in northern Shan State. It is an armed ethnic group that has yet to sign a ceasefire deal with the government. 

Merger talks between Shan political parties expected in May

On another development, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy and Shan Nationalities Democratic Party are planning to hold crucial merger talks in early May in Taunggyi. 

“The SNDP asked us over the phone a week ago if we would meet in Taunggyi on May 3 to 4 and we replied that we agreed it. The official letter has not reached to us yet. We have no advance topic what we will discuss at the meeting,” said Sai Saw Aung, the leader of the negotiation team of the SNLD.

They earlier planned the talks in February. The upcoming talks, running May 3 to 4, will take place at the headquarters of the SNDP in Taunggyi, with each side presenting a five-member negotiation team.

This marked the first attempt for a merger. SNDP was established to take part in the 2010 general election, becoming the third largest party with MPs in the Union Parliament. Meanwhile, SNLD participated in the 1990 elections and won the second largest number of votes behind the National League for Democracy (NLD). The party failed to take part in the last general election. It reactivated its party registration following the 2012 by-election.