By Hom Hurng / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) / BNI Online | June 1, 2018

The Shan State Hluttaw removed a proposal on forced porter issue from its agenda as it was concerned with the military.

Sai Tun Nyan, a State Hluttaw MP from Kyaukme Township and a member of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), submitted a proposal to stop armed groups from forcing civilians to work as porters or guides.

His proposal was accepted by the State Hluttaw Speaker but he was not allowed to discuss it during the three-day parliamentary session after the Shan State government office asked for its removal from the agenda.

“I submitted a proposal objecting to the forced use of civilians as guides in military affairs in the Shan State on May 10. No armed group should force villagers to work as their guides. It shouldn’t be allowed. This issue doesn’t exist in other countries across the world. If I can discuss a little about it in the hluttaw, it would be a starting point for public security. But, the hluttaw
[session] is ending tomorrow.  My proposal hasn’t been included in the agenda,” Sai Tun Nyan told the Shan Herald.

When he contacted the hluttaw office, the director told him that his proposal was submitted to the government office after it was accepted by the Hluttaw Speaker. The government office replied that it should be removed so it was not included in the agenda, he explained.

Although to rules and regulations, MPs have the right to discuss the proposals in the hluttaw after they have been accepted by the Hluttaw Speaker but his proposal was turned down since it was concerned with the military, he continued.

“I didn’t name the Tatmadaw [in my proposal]. I only wrote any armed groups. Both the government and the hluttaw are still afraid when it comes to the military. Now, the government office said it won’t allow discussions on military affairs so in my opinion, the hluttaw is still under the government and the government is still under the military. This shouldn’t happen at all,” said Sai Tun Nyan.

According to him, the Tatmadaw detained U Lone Sai Ba Kyaw from Tawt Sang Village and forced him to work as a guide during the fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Kyaukme Township on May 3. U Lone Sai Ba Kyaw received an injury on his leg after stepping on a landmine on the road. Local residents reported the incident and urged the MP to assist them for public security so the MP submitted the proposal to the hluttaw.

Civilians in the war-torn ethnic areas especially the northern Shan State are still being forced to work as porters and landmines have not been cleared away. Many residents have been killed and injured after stepping on the landmines when they went to work on their farms, according to Namtu residents that have been assisting the internally displaced residents.

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This article originally appeared on BNI Online on June 1, 2018.

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