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  • Shan CSOs Blast Silence' Over Conflict

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    More than a month of fighting in central Shan State has displaced some 10,000 people. Representatives for more than 30 Shan groups held a news conference in Bangkok. They say it is impossible to know how many people have been killed in offensives by the Tatmadaw. Some of those displaced over the last month were among estimated 30,000 people displaced in the same area during the government's offensive in March 2011.

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    Shan CSOs Blast ‘Silence’ Over Conflict

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    More than a month of fighting in central Shan State has displaced some 10,000 people. Representatives for more than 30 Shan groups held a news conference in Bangkok. They say it is impossible to know how many people have been killed in offensives by the Tatmadaw. Some of those displaced over the last month were among estimated 30,000 people displaced in the same area during the government's offensive in March 2011.

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    16 views3 pages

    Shan CSOs Blast Silence' Over Conflict

    Uploaded by

    YingTzarm
    More than a month of fighting in central Shan State has displaced some 10,000 people. Representatives for more than 30 Shan groups held a news conference in Bangkok. They say it is impossible to know how many people have been killed in offensives by the Tatmadaw. Some of those displaced over the last month were among estimated 30,000 people displaced in the same area during the government's offensive in March 2011.

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    of 3

    11/28/2015

    ShanCSOsblastsilenceoverconflict

    ShanCSOsblastsilenceoverconflict
    ByGuyDinmoreandThuThuAung|Friday,27November2015
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    Shancivilsocietyorganisationshaveappealedtotheinternationalcommunitytobreakits
    silenceoverwhattheycallwarcrimescommittedbytheMyanmarmilitaryduringmorethana
    monthoffightingincentralShanStatethathasdisplacedsome10,000people.

    Clickimagetoseefullsize.

    Activistsyesterdayalsoexpresseddoubtsoveranagreementonmeasurestoendtheconflictthatwas
    reportedlyreachedbetweenthegovernmentandtheShanStateProgressParty(SSPP)duringtalksin
    YangononNovember24.
    Representativesformorethan30Shangroups,basedinsideMyanmarandontheborderwith
    Thailand,heldanewsconferenceinBangkokandreleasedajointstatementtoraiseawarenessofthe
    unfoldinghumanitariancrisis.
    Theoffensive,whichbeganonOctober6,wastakingplacewhileelectionmonitorsandjournalists
    fromacrosstheglobewereinBurmatoobservetherecentpolls.Yetmostnewsreportshaveonly
    praisedthepeacefulnatureoftheelections,andnoforeigngovernmentshavepubliclyraised
    concernsabouttheattacksandwarcrimesbeingcommittedbyBurmesegovernmenttroops,the
    statementsaid.
    KeepingsilentaboutNayPyiTawslatestattacksandwarcrimesisgivingthegreenlighttothese
    atrocities,saidhumanrightsactivistNangCharmTong.
    Shenotedthatsomeofthosedisplacedoverthelastmonthwereamongtheestimated30,000people
    displacedinthesameareaduringthegovernmentsoffensiveinMarch2011againsttheSSPPwhen
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    11/28/2015

    ShanCSOsblastsilenceoverconflict

    thegrouprefusedtobecomeaBorderGuardForce.
    Thecommunitygroupssaiditwasimpossibletoknowhowmanypeoplehadbeenkilledinoffensives
    bytheTatmadaw,sometimesinvolvingartilleryandairstrikesagainstcivilianareas.
    Butseveralexamplesofallegedwarcrimeswerelisted,includingthegangrapeonNovember5ofa
    32yearoldwoman,theshellingofcivilianareasinMongNawngtown,andthecaseof17villagers
    whowentmissingonNovember22andarefeareddeadafterbeingshotatwhileharvestingricenear
    MongArkvillageinMineShu/MongShutownship.
    AstheShangroupspointout,fewseniorforeignofficialsincludingthosefromtheUnitedNations
    havespokenoutforcefullyinpublicabouttheconflict,whichledtothecancellationofvotingintwo
    wholetownships.
    USassistantsecretaryofstateDanielRusselvisitedMyanmarthisweektoimpressuponitscivilian
    andmilitaryleadershiptheUSexpectationorinsistencethatallparties,includingthemilitary,must
    respectthewillofthevoters.
    AskedbyTheIrrawaddyaboutthefighting,herepliedthatitwasaconcerntous.
    MrRusseladdedthathehadurgedSeniorGeneralMinAungHlaing,thecommanderinchief,to
    showrestraintatthissensitivetime.
    Iencouragedhimtoworktowardaninclusiveandpeacefulapproach,andIaskedthatthewelfareof
    theciviliansintheregionbeprotectedtothemaximumextent,theUSdiplomatsaid.
    Meanwhile,fightinginMineShutownshipwassaidbypeopleonthegroundtobecontinuing
    yesterday,thoughapparentlylessintensively.
    Therewasalsoconfusionoverthestatusofanagreementreportedlyreachedbetweenthegovernment
    andthemainethnicarmedgroupinthearea,theSSPPanditsmilitarywing,theShanStateArmy
    North.TheSSPPwasoneofseveralmajorarmedgroupsnottojoinanationwideceasefirepact
    reachedbyeightotherorganisationswiththegovernmentlastmonth.
    SpeakingtoTheMyanmarTimesfromBangkok,SaiKhurSengoftheShanSapawaEnvironmental
    Organisation,saidheunderstoodthatthepointsagreedintwodaysoftalksinYangonstillhadtobe
    signedoffbytheSSPPleadershipandhighergovernmentauthorities.
    Hesaidhebelievedthatmoretalksweretobeheldbetweenthetwosides,andthattherewasconcern
    thatfightingwouldcontinueiftheSSPPdidnotagreetopullbackitsforcessouthoftheroutelinking
    thegarrisontownofMineNaunginKyethitownshipandthetownofMineShu.
    ThegovernmenthassaidnothingaboutthetwodaysoftalksinYangonorthereportedagreement.
    However,aseniorSSPPofficial,whoaskednottobenamed,toldTheMyanmarTimesthatthesix
    pointswouldbebroughttotherespectivetopleadersofbothsideswithinfivedays.
    Afterthat,wearegoingtotakeaconsensusamongmembersofcentralexecutivecommittees.Then
    wewillholdmeetingsagainwiththegovernmentandwillconsidertheimplementationpart,hesaid.
    Healsomaintainedthatthefightinghadstoppedthreedaysago,althoughthisisdisputedbyvarious
    sourcesinthearea.
    USaiZawWin,apoliticianinNamsantownshipfortheShanNationalitiesLeagueforDemocracy,
    saiditwouldbegoodforciviliansifbothsidesobservedthesixpointstheyhadreportedlyagreedto.
    Bothsidesshouldretreatback.Thatsawaytorelievepeoplessuffering,hesaidbytelephonefrom
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    ShanCSOsblastsilenceoverconflict

    ShanState,wherehehasbeeninvolvedindeliveringaidtoIDPs.
    Thefightinghasrunintotheharvestseasonforpaddy,sesameandmillet,withvillagersfacing
    financialruiniftheyabandontheirfields.
    Somerefugeeswentbacktochecktheirlandduringthedaybutdidnotdarestaythere,saidDawNan
    SaiHein,aShanYouthCommunitynetworkmemberfromMongShu.
    AShanactivistattheBangkokpressconferencesaidthatwhateveragreementhadbeensignedthere
    wasnopossibilitythatgovernmenttroopswouldretreatfromareastheyhadseizedduringthelatest
    fighting.
    LocalpeoplewillremainsuspectedofsupportingtheSSPP,andwillcontinuetobeatthemercyof
    thegovernmentforces,shesaid.
    TheTatmadawhasbeenprogressivelyseizingterritoriesoftheSSPPoverthepastfewyears,so
    evenifthereisalullinfightingnow,itwillonlybeamatteroftimebeforetheylaunchanother
    offensivetofurthersqueezetheSSPP,whichwillagainleadtodisplacement.
    AdditionalreportingbyLunMinMang

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