"We can clearly see that the government is unwilling to solve the civil war politically; we, the armed ethnic groups, are trying to change this policy and their mindset," Lanyaw Zawng Hra said in a speech marking the 54th anniversary of Kachin Resistance Day, Mizzima News reported.
Meanwhile Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North has grumbled for losing of a strategic base while its leaders were attending a census meeting in Naypyitaw, Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N.) said.
According to Shan News, the Government Army's Central Eastern Command in Kolam sent a letter to SSPP demanding that the SSA-N troops withdraw from Tar Hsarm Pu base, for the reason that the Government troops want to use the route. On February 27, the SSA withdrew from the base following government army's demand so as to avoid conflict. But on February 28, the government army seized and occupied the base.
One SSPP officer said, "The Government Army sent a letter to us, demanding our troops withdraw from the base so that the Government troops could use the route. Our high ranking officers at the headquarters believed that it was time to make peace and the Government Army was sincere. But the Government Army afterward deployed more troops and occupied our strategic base."
Additionally, he said: "We have sacrificed our lives to defend this base, but the Government Army used the opportunity while our leaders were in Naypyitaw to pressure us. We did not get the green light to fire, so we withdrew from the base. We are really upset by losing this base."
Tar Hsarm Pu base is an economically and militarily strategic base of SSPP/SSA where it connects to its ally the United Wa State Army (UWSA), according to the Shan News.
Even though U Thein Sein's government has announced its self-styled reform repeatedly, people rarely see any sign of genuine change in ethnic areas. As a result, displaced communities are cautious because security concerns hang around, including landmine problem and various persecutions of the armed forces. In addition, the government needs more time to build an economic setting helpful to job creation in areas of promising homecoming.
During the presidential inaugural ceremony, the President has pledged primarily to work in support of good governance, political settlement, poverty alleviation and establishing a lifelong peace setting. However, Myanmar's reform process including peacemaking seems stagnant as the government ignores citizens' suffering and desolation suggested by the prominent human rights and humanitarian organizations. ///
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