Two Burma Army troops killed, two injured in fighting with Ta’ang Army

sayarsan's picture
Location: 
Myanmar

Two Burma Army troops were killed and two seriously injured during fighting with the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Kyawkme township, northern Shan State on April 7.

Kyawk_mae

The clash broke out between Pangsang village and Hu Kok village on Tuesday when Light Infantry Division 77 entered a TNLA-controlled area, a local source reported.

 

“The military column from Burma Army Division 77, with about 100 troops, launched an offensive against Ta’ang Battalion 987. The fighting occurred at around 6:40 in the morning, and lasted about 30 minutes, with two Burma Army soldiers dead and two injured. But there were no casualties on our side, as it was in our area,” said TNLA information officer Mai Aik Kyaw.

 

Last month, ten villagers in Kyawkme township were forced to be porters for Burma Army troops in the conflict zone, a Kyawkme resident said.

 

“If the Burma Army continues to send troops into our territory, it will be difficult to reach a nationwide ceasefire agreement. If the government is really sincere about political dialogue, they should withdraw their troops,” said Mai Aik Kyaw.

 

Since January 2015, there have been more than 80 clashes between the Burma Army and TNLA.

 

The TNLA is a member of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) that signed a joint statement affirming completion of a draft Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the Union Peacemaking Work Committee on 31 March.

 

09/04/2015

Comments

sayarsan's picture

The Ta'ang National Liberation Army(TNLA) is composed of combatants from the Palaung ethnic group. Visitors to Thailand's north may have encountered a hill tribe known as Long Neck Karen, mostly refugees from Myanmar's Shan and Kayah States. Their way of life is changing rapidly and a few decades ago were in no position to mount a military campaign against a modern well equipped army which Myanmar has courtesy of the Peoples Liberation Army in China and some other countries.

Palaung villagers

While it was Battalion 987 which engaged the Tatmadaw that doesn't mean there are anywhere near that many battalions in the army. The battle was a sting because the Tatmadaw(Burmese Army) have been active in an area where they are legally off limits according to the ceasefire agreement. This activity by the Tatmadaw puts a heavy burden on small villages when people are conscripted as labour for the troops and their food is taken by the troops. The belligerence and cruelty of the Tatmadaw are well documented by all the ethnic minorities over a period of more than 50 years so although the Ta'ang Army cannot defeat the Tatmadaw they can make them feel unsafe when they patrol in proscribed areas.

TNLA troops

 

With a national election scheduled for later this year all are hoping for a system where the Tatmadaw is not above the Legislature. The TNLA has been fighting since 1963 and have long grown weary of the presence of Burmese Troops. The International Community is obliged to impose sanctions against Myanmar to ensure the elections are conducted in a proper manner and that the results are adhered to as a start to building a nation fit to do deal with.

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