The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) has agreed that the current government and its Tatmadaw [Burma army] are using the NCA as a military and political weapon.After inking nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), the signatory and non-signatory armed groups have had armed engagement.
The UNFC held a 4-day conference, February 18-21, in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. The topics discussed at the conference included an analysis of the current political and military situations, and the matter of establishing a federal constitution and its essential policies, according to the UNFC’s statement released on February 21.
“We just cannot see the clashes betweem the RCSS [Restoration Council of Shan State] and the TNLA [Ta’ang National Liberation Army] as simple conflicts. They are getting bigger. Among the [Shan and Palaung] locals, racial views are now being heard. Whilst giving reasons listed in the NCA, on another side, [they] are attacking on us, and the Tatmadaw also provokes ethnic armed groups. So, we can conclude that the current government and Tatmadaw is using the NCA as a military and political weapon,” said Khu Oo Reh, general secretary of the UNFC.
The statement expanded that due to clashes between the RCSS and TNLA, thousands of locals have to flee their villages with the number of refugees increasing by the day. The UNFC have urged both sides to negotiate and find a solution for the conflicts through peaceful means. The UNFC would help mediate negotiations to quell conflicts such as with the TNLA and RCSS.
The statement added that “the current government and Tatmadaw are using the NCA as a military and political weapon. We strongly condemn the current government and Tatmadaw’s actions in causing racial hatred among the ethnic nationalities, with the divide-and-conquer military-political strategy”.
Started in late November 2015, the RCSS and TNLA have had clashes in the townships of Nankham, Kutkai and Kyaukme, northern Shan State.
The clashes also occurred four times in January, 2016 and during February 7-11. The clashes produced over 3,000 refugees sheltering in Kyaukme Town after fleeing from Kyaukme Township’s village tracts including Taw San Village Tract, Min Kon Village Tract, Nyaung Maung Village Tract, and Lor Sar Village Tract.
On February 16, 2016 at the Pyithu Hluttaw Conference, U Sai Htun Aung, Pyithu Hluttaw Representative of Kyaukme Township Constituency reported that the ongoing war in Shan State must be stopped and that assistance is needed for refugees in Kyaukme Town.
The RCSS is one of the ethnic armed groups that signed the NCA with the government on October 15, 2015, and the TNLA is a non-signatory but a member of the UNFC.
