CNI News
1 August 2022
It is understood that the Tatmadaw had asked the Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army to withdraw from their three camps over security concerns, General Secretary Sai Leik of the SNLD told the CNI.
The Tatmadaw was not satisfied with the relations between the SSPP and the United Wa State Army and it was possible that the Tatmadaw asked the SSPP to withdraw camps on the Sanin mountain range, he added.
Sai Leik told the CNI, “ The problem at Mong Hsu and Tangyan is not the one that arose recently. It started in June, when the Tatmadaw was not satisfied with the relations between the SSPP and the UWSA, as far as I know. The alliance of the SSPP and the UWSA has controlled Shan State (South) including Panglong area and Phalaing and Mong Pyin to the west of Sanin Mountain, providing easy access to Kyauk Gu, Indaw which is adjacent to Lawksawk, that is too close to security lines of the Tatmadaw. So, it asked the SSPP to withdraw from the three camps in Monghsu. In my opinion, if the SSPP withdraws its troops in the western part of Panglong because it cannot withdraw from the three camps, the issue can be solved.”
The map of locations of the SSPP camps, from which the Tatmadaw asked the SSPP to withdraw their troops.
The SSPP replied on 22 July that they could not withdraw troops from the three camps.
The most appropriate solution to the political crisis is the complete withdrawal from politics and ceasefire in the entire country and remaining issues can be solved through negotiations, Sai Leik added.
However, Director U Thein Tun Oo of Strategic Studies told the CNI that the Tatmadaw needed to solve security issues first and was likely to respond to regional instabilities.
U Thein Tu Oo said, “Security issues are priorities that the Tatmadaw has focused on. It doesn’t matter whether the SSPP cooperates with the UWSA or not, the main issue is that if the camps threaten the stability and security of the areas, the Tatmadaw is likely to respond to the issue. It is difficult to comment on the relations between the two EAOs because I don’t know the nature of their relations in detail. However, it is more likely that the Tatmadaw is responding to military threats and regional instabilities.”
Tatmadaw and SSPP representatives hold negotiations on 14th July, 2022.
The Tatmadaw sent a letter to SSPP on 4th July to withdraw three SSPP camps active in Loinoi and Manwain in Monghsu Township by 10th June and another letter to do so by 30th June but the SSPP refused the retreat from the areas.
As the situation remained tense, representatives of both sides met for negotiations on 14 July but the Tatmadaw asked the SSPP to withdraw the camps within seven days. The SSPP has sent a letter, refusing to withdraw its troops.
