Read the RFA cover of this subject in Burma.
An ethnic army that fought a 10 -year battle against the Myanmar army in the state of Shan said that she had refused a request from the junta to submit captured territory despite the joint pressure of the military regime and China.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, captured 12 cities in the eastern state and others in the Mandalay region, including the city rich in Rubis of Mogok.
The TNLA, the armed branch of the Palaung State Liberation Front, said its representatives had been invited to several cycles of craft talks in China in the southwest city of Kunming where the heads of the junta demanded the return of land captured by rebel forces.
During the talks of April 28 and 29, a delegation led by Lieutenant-General PSLF JA and another led by Lieutenant-General of Junta Ko Ko Oo, were joined by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent Deng Xijun.
The PSLF / TNLA requested a cessation of air strikes and heavy artillery attacks against its territory, the free movement for the population in the areas it controls and the reopening of border trade with China.
Junta officials asked TNLA to withdraw from the territory captured since the coup, including Nawnghkio, Hsipaw, Kyaukme and Mogok, the army said in a statement published on Friday but the ethnic army refused.
“On our side, we simply cannot accept the request of the junta to restore Mogok and other cities. We cannot go yet,” TNLA spokesman Lway Yay Oo, journalists at the online press conference on Sunday. “We perform the same actions as before.”
RFA contacted the Chinese Embassy in Yangon for more information on discussions, but it did not respond to the time of publication.
The next peace talks will be in August.
China has long maintained the interest of resolving the civil war of more than four years from Myanmar. However, officials of the border city of Ruili sent threats to armed groups when the conflict began to struggle from the border in August.
“I must say that there have been threats. I think everyone will remember the letter that the Ruili government has sent,” said Lieutenant-General. “Not only do this regularly use pressure, both verbally and by other means, rather than direct threats.”
The junta continued to bomb a territory controlled by TNLA, notably Mogok, Nawnghkio and Kyaukme, said the TNLA in a statement published on Monday, adding that the civilian population had fled, with more details to come.
The FRG contacted Junta’s spokesperson, Major-General, Zaw Min Tun for more information on attacks and negotiations, but he did not respond to the phone.
Translated by Kiana Duncan. Published by Mike Firn and Tajun Kang.