Shan Rebels Seek Alliance

The Shan State Army (South), one of Burma’s largest remaining ethnic opposition armies, has sent troops on a mission to negotiate an alliance with a splinter group in central Shan State, according to Shan leaders.

“They sent along troops. I suppose they are willing to resolve the political problems among them,” Khuensai Jaiyen, editor of the Shan Herald Agency for News, told The Irrawaddy on Friday.

According to SHAN, some 300 SSA-S soldiers were sent out in April to the Mongkerng region of central Shan State, where Shan State Army (Central) soldiers operate, to heal rifts between the two groups.

Only a few days prior to the declaration of a “Federated Shan State,” made by a group of Shan leaders from the exile Shan Interim Government in mid-April last year, SSA-S members from Brigade-758 (led by Col Moengzuen) who supported the declaration left the group and formed the independent SSA-C.

SSA-S spokesperson Nam Khur Hsen on Friday refused to comment to The Irrawaddy on discord within the group, saying that reports of meetings between factions are not unusual. “Even though there was a meeting, nothing would be strange. It is just like a meeting of family members.”

The spokesperson added: “They [SSA-C] are not a different group. They are part of ours, but they separated because the Shan Interim Government incited them.”

The relationship between the two groups is reported to be tense, though local Shan say they doubt that SSA-S troops have been sent out to attack splinter groups. According to Nam Khur Hsen, the group has no policy to attack other Shan groups.

Meanwhile, SSA-S troops are reported to have been attacked by Burmese troops from Light Infantry Battalions 520, 332 and 574 en route to central Shan State, where SSA-C currently operates. Several clashes have been reported, though no figures for the dead and injured have been given.

Nam Khur Hsen confirmed the clashes but refused to provide further details. “We never release reports about fighting because Burmese [soldiers] always persecute local people in areas where fighting takes place.”