Burma army attacks RCSS/SSA in Mong Kung
Burma’s government forces have
launched an offensive against the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State
Army (RCSS/SSA) in Mong Kung Township, according to an RCSS/SSA spokesperson.
Col. Sai Hla said that Burmese
army battalion 292 on Saturday attacked a relief center in Wan Boi village,
Donglao village-tract, in southern Shan State’s Mong Kung Township.
“This relief center was initiated
by local people and our armed group,” he said. “We set up the facility to treat
drug addicts – we have about 50 addicts in the program.”
The assault on Wan Boi has
continued through Monday, the Shan army spokesman said, compelling some 2,000
local villagers to flee their homes.
“We don’t want to create
problems for these civilians,” Sai Hla told Shan Herald today. “When
there is fighting, people suffer. We do not want this to happen, and we try to
avoid it. However, the Tatmadaw [government forces] attacked us, and we
have to protect ourselves.”
The RCSS/SSA was among eight
ethnic armed groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with
the government on October 15 last year.
As per the conditions of the
accord, Sai Hla said, the RCSS/SSA informed the government and the regional
military command of the assault by its troops after the attack.
“They [the Burmese military]
said they will help solve problems,” he said. “But, on the other hand, they are
attacking us.”
He added: “This is quite the
opposite of our agreement to solve issues by peaceful means. And then they told
us not to make a big issue out of it.”
Several clashes have
broken out between Burmese government units and the RCSS/SSA since the signing
of the NCA nearly a year ago. The first clash occurred
on December 31 in Mong
Peng Township in eastern Shan State’s Kengtung District.
Tags: News, War
