CNI News

12 December 2023

Revolutionary forces are restricting speaking Shanni in Sagaing Region and Kachin State, Shan Civil organizations stated dated 9th December 2023. 

The restriction was being conducted and it it was the oppression to die out the Shanni nationalities and it was a war crime as well, Sai Ai Pao, spokesperson of the Shan civil organizations, told CNI News.

" There are locals who ran away and came to the area where phone contact is available. We interviewed them. We surely asked them if it was true because we couldn't believe it. They answered when they spoke Shanni, they were beaten. Frankly speaking, even though Shanni nationalities really exist, that they exist in Banmauk and Pinlebu Townships were not recorded according to the immigration records of the previous successive governments. Again, if the current revolutionary forces restrict speaking Shanni anymore, these nationalities will die out. As a matter of fact, those who restrict speaking language of a race are guilty of genocide, according to global standards. So, we are warning them against their restriction. The world is pointing out the issue of Rohingya as a genocide. In fact, the Shanni nationalities in Sagaing Region and Kachin State also have been restricted like Rohingya." said Sai Ai Pao.

While seeing Homalin PDF

If someone who held a national registration card of Sagaing Region was found to be a Shan nationality at a checkpoint of the revolutionary forces, they would be more inspected. Moreover, if Shan songs were found on their phones, they would be beaten or their movement would be restricted, he said.

Many Shanni youths are serving in the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) while many other Shanni youths are serving in the People's Defense Force (PDF) in Homalin Township as well. He wanted them to coordinate and solve the killing of each other, Sai Htay Aung, chairman of the Tailai (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party, told CNI News.

Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA)

" I want to talk about a small incidence about it. A Shanni conference was held in Homalin. Five Shanni people who attended took photos of the conference. When they returned from the conference, they were checked on the way by the PDFs, their photos were found. The PDFs accused them of the supporters of the Tatmadaw, they were beaten to death. The killers are also Shanni people." he said.

Shanni civil organizations have asked the UN, international organizations, China, India, Thailand and ASEAN countries for help in relation to Shanni ethnic people whose human rights are being violated during the current military and political conflicts.