Statement of PSLF/TNLA Requesting Sanghas, Elders and People for Avoiding Racial Conflict

Statement by PSLF/TNLA | May 28, 2016

Today, May 28, 2016, as over a thousand local Shan people held protest in Kyauk-me Town and one-sidedly opposed our Ta’ang National Liberation Army with all kinds of accusations, we have learnt that our Ta’ang Sanghas, elders and people have become upset and they would like to make a certain response. Accordingly, we, the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF/TNLA) earnestly request our Ta’ang people to control their anger, so as to avoid racial conflict between the Ta’ang and Shan peoples, and live in amity and harmony with fellow local peoples.

After signing the NCA, the Shan State Army RCSS/SSA reached understanding with Myanmar Tatmadaw (Army) and expanded its force by introducing troops by the thousands into Ta’ang Region. However, in addition to its inability to establish itself easily in Ta’ang Region, as it had suffered annihilation militarily, it repeatedly made various kinds of false accusations against our organization, spread false information, committed all kinds of human rights violations and passed them onto our organization, and engaged in acts and distribution of fabricated news that would cause racial conflict between the Shan and Ta’ang peoples.

In the case of one-sidedly making trumped-up charges that in the battle taking place in February, Nyaung Maun Abbot and some local people were executed, Ta’ang Sanghas and some media went to the place of the battle, met with Nyaung Maun Abbot and the local community, and they were able to reveal the truth. In the burning of Ho-pan village of Mine-wee region, Namt Kham Township, blame was heaped on our organization unfairly, and after that as the Myanmar Tatmadaw troops came to attack on the TNLA troops, who were taking rest temporarily in Tort-san village of Kyauk-me Township, some local people’s houses similarly catch fire. In the clash between the SSPP/SSA and Myanmar Tatmadaw troops in Pon-woe region, some local people’s houses were also burnt down.

Due to successive military dictatorships, as the opportunity for resolving the political problems peacefully was not obtained, our Ta’ang Army – PSLF/TNLA – is much sympathetic and sad for the Ta’ang, Shan, Kachin etc. peoples in Ta’ang Region, who have to suffer miseries of the civil war bitterly. Our organization will endeavor our best to find means and ways for meeting with responsible governments concerned, for finding solutions politically for cessation of the civil war and also for freeing the local communities from miseries of war.

Though it is said that the new Myanmar government has been formed, under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy and political changes are being made, Myanmar Tatmadaw is creating more battles for perpetuation of fire of the civil war and instigating racial conflicts, by various means, among the ethnic nationalities. For that reason, the Palaung State Liberation Front – PSLF/TNLA – would like to urge and request expressly the Ta’ang Sanghas, elders and people, for avoiding racial conflict, to keep the ancestral Buddhist attitude on hand, control belligerent anger, associate and live peacefully with fellow ethnic nationalities, according to the tenets of affection.

Central Executive Committee

Palaung State Liberation Front P.S.L.F./T.N.L.A.