The recent report that said Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SAA) seized 4 Burmese people who were selling photos around along the Shweli River bank in Muse District; Northern Shan State is the government’s plan to incite racism, according to a Shan local militia commander.

“They want us to leave the area. They accused that we detained innocent men and demanded wegive those people back. We didn’t detain anyone, so who should we set free? They used those kinds of method to make the ordinary Burmese people misunderstand us and are forcing us to leave the area.”he continued.



In early April, it was reported that 4 Burmese people who were selling historical photos and photos of well-known leaders were detained by RCSS/SSA, one of whom was killed. The Tactical Operations Commander demanded RCSS/SSA set them free and return them to the government through the RCSS’s representative office in Muse. The Burma Army raided RCSS/SSA’s Terng Kha camp in the afternoon of 2 May and destroyed that camp in the morning of 3 May, according to local news sources.

Anunconfirmed report also said that those 4 Burmese people were spies sent by the Burma Army.

“There are several armed movements in Shweli. We think the Burma Army is planning to accuse us and make the people misunderstand us. Recently, they accused the Shan State Army (SSA) North of forcing ethnic Burmese people in Monghsu to leave and this time it happens again here,” a senior commander added.

Because of those problems, Infantry Battalion 190 and 45 are reinforcing their troops to RCSS’s 701st Task force area, according to Nam Kham locals.

Another unconfirmed report says the Burma Army has sent a 300-strong unit wearing camouflage to attack the RCSS/SSA the RCSS/SSA at its Nawng Ma Tai base.

Tensions nevertheless are on the rise. “We have tried to avoid them,” said an RCSS official. “If we cannot then we must be ready to defend ourselves.”