Fifty Third Anniversary of Ta’ang National Resistance Day

Position Statement of Palaung National Liberation Front (2/2016) | January 12, 2016

On January 12, 2016, the armed resistance against successive military dictatorships for liberation of the entire Ta’ang nationality has attained its 53rd anniversary.

The Palaung State Liberation Front always pays tribute and, put on record, all the patriotic Ta’ang people, martyred leaders, man and woman comrades, who have sacrificed numerous lives, blood, sweat, tears, homes and riches in the 53 years of Ta’ang national revolutionary resistance for the liberation of the entire Ta’ang nationality from oppression, for the establishment of Ta’ang State guaranteeing democracy and human rights, for the eradication of chauvinism and military dictatorship system, for national equality with the rights to decide one’s own destiny, and for the establishment of a genuine federal union guaranteeing national self-determination.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has been working relentlessly in cooperation with the Ta’ang people, in the political and military fields, for the achievement of Ta’ang national political aims and objectives, speedily. The various TNLA battalions and units have set up bases and have been operating in the Kyauk-me, Moe-meik, Moe-gok, Namt-san, Man-tong, Nam-tu, Thi-baw, La-sho, Tam-tu, Kut-kai, Namt-kham, Mu-se etc. Townships of Ta’ang Region. In the five years of endeavor, with the objective of setting up bases and protection in all areas where the Ta’ang people have settled and lived, the TNLA’s ability to set up 27 battalions in 5 brigade formations, is the fruit of unity of the Ta’ang people. The giving of help on all sides for the TNLA to become strong is a symbol of unity of the allied ethnic armed resistance organizations (EAROs).

The PSLF/TNLA has upheld consistently the resolution of political problems by political means peacefully, and it is prepared to be able to have dialogue with the new government to be formed by the winning party of the 2015 elections. It is our belief and hope that after consultation with the new NLD-led government on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) reached between the present Myanmar government and the EAROs, the peace process and political dialogue, including all the EAROs, will be able to be commenced.

We especially urged all the ethnic nationalities to raise revolutionary alertness, strengthen the armed forces and establish unity militarily, as the Myanmar government armed forces have been constantly launching offensives, increasing military strength and controlling more areas in most of the regions of the ethnic nationalities.
In conclusion, by seriously urging the entire Ta’ang people to struggle on, together with the PSLF/TNLA, so long as the victory stand of political aims of the Ta’ang people is not reached, we issue this 53rd Anniversary of Ta’ang National Resistance Day statement.

Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF) Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA)