Ceasefire group bulletin

Ceasefire group bulletin: its leaders meet exiled leaders

A Shan ceasefire grouping's bulletin reports in its September issue that its leaders held a meeting with leaders of Shan expatriates during April this year. 

The Shan State Journal, the organ of the Shan State Peace Council, a joint setup of Shan State Army "North" and Shan State National Army, in its Issue No.3 (September) reported that a meeting was held in Manshi (Mongkhawn in Shan), Yunnan Province, 22-25 April, between Maj-Gen Hsoten, its Chairman, with Col. Gunyawd, General Secretary and Chao Tzang Yawnghwe and Sao Sengsuk. 

The two sides exchanged ideas about the political situation both at home and abroad and discussed strategies for Shan nationalist movements, it said. Details were not given. 

The participants were entertained by the local Shan cultural troupe during the adjournment. 

Inside sources told S.H.A.N. the SSPC was able to report the affair in its journal with considerable ease because both of its leaders had already cleared this with General Khin Nyunt, the powerful Secretary - 1 of the Shan State Peace and Development Council on 30 May, an event also reported in the bulletin. 

Sao Sengsuk, retired Commander-in-chief of the Shan State Army, currently serves as Spokesperson for the Shan Democratic Union, a political organization of expatriates. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe , son of Sao Shwe Thaike, the first President of the Union of Burma (1948-52) and former Chief-of-Staff of the SSA, is the SDU's principal adviser. He also advises the National Reconciliation Program, a group based in Canada.