Burma’s military government has strongly rejected Sunday’s Shan independence declaration by a group of exiles, saying the move jeopardized the country’s peace and stability.    

Than Shwe

In a statement issued Tuesday by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the junta’s top leader, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, said “the aims and acts of the group….endanger the law enforcement of the Union of Myanmar [Burma], stability of the State and peace and tranquility of the entire people.”

The Shan declaration of independence was issued by a group of exiles led by 67-year-old Sao Surkhanpha, eldest son of Burma’s first president, Sao Shwe Thaike. Sao Surkhanpha lives in Canada.

The group said they were declaring independence for Shan State because the Shan people had been oppressed by the military government for years.

Some ethnic groups and the country’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, joined in criticizing the move. NLD spokesman U Lwin said the party would not accept any activity contravening its policy—“including forming a parallel government or any secession.” 

A spokeswoman of the Shan State Army-South, Nam Khur Hsen, said: “Out of the blue, they formed a government and declared independence. We have no idea why they did it and what they will continue to do.”

However, most observers inside and outside Burma believe that the move is an outcome of the junta’s oppressive rule and say one of the main reasons is the junta’s recent arrest of Shan leaders and attacks on Shan groups.

The military government arrested 10 ethnic Shan leaders in early February on charges of planning the disintegration of the Union. Among the arrested are Hkun Htun Oo, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and Sao Hso Ten, president of the Shan State Peace Council, which comprises two Shan ceasefire groups.  

Most of the arrested are detained in Insein prison and reportedly face a secret trial.  

Meanwhile, the United Wa State Army, a ceasefire and notorious drug group backed by the junta, is involved in military action against the Shan State Army in the Mong Ton area of southern Shan State, opposite Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province.

SSA Spokeswoman Nam Khur Hsen said Wednesday fighting is continuing. She claimed that more than 100 Wa soldiers had been killed while Shan casualties were light. The Wa group could not be reached for comment.