The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) has condemned the military junta for forcing residents in southern Shan State to stage protests against the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), saying such actions are intended to destroy unity among ethnic nationalities.
According to local sources, on August 18 the junta-organized demonstrations were held simultaneously in Mongnai, Mong Pan, Kholam, and Kunhing. More protests are planned for August 19 in other towns across southern Shan State. Residents said the junta’s administrators ordered every household to send someone to the rallies, branding the TNLA and MNDAA as “terrorist groups.”
The RCSS accused the junta of deliberately fueling hatred and division among ethnic groups in Shan State.
The RCSS also pointed out that, despite facing large-scale military offensives in northern Shan State by the TNLA and the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), it had never pressured local ethnic communities to hold anti-protest campaigns, choosing instead to prioritize ethnic solidarity.
The group further clarified that the current junta-driven protests against TNLA and MNDAA are not connected to the RCSS in any way. It urged ethnic residents to avoid falling into the junta’s manipulation and divisive tactics.
Following the February 1, 2021 coup, the TNLA and MNDAA seized control of many towns previously held by the RCSS in northern Shan State, deepening divisions among ethnic groups. Clashes between the junta’s military forces and the TNLA continue in the region today.
