Freedom of leaders proviso for Convention

Politics

Freedom of leaders proviso for Convention

Shan ceasefire groups meeting in Northern Shan State are calling on Rangoon for immediate release of their leaders as the pre-condition for their participation on the next round of the National Convention that will begin on 17 February, according to one of their commanders.

"All of us have agreed that with our leaders under custody, it will be pointless for us to be present at the Convention," said Col Gaifah, deputy leader of the Shan State Army "North" that has been at truce with Rangoon since 1989 from his headquarters in Hseng Keow, Hsipaw Township.

The SSA "North" has since 1996 formed the Shan State Peace Council (SSPC) with the Shan State National Army (SSNA), another ceasefire group. Both groups and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), the party that had won the most seats in Shan State in the 1990 elections, then formed the Shan State Joint Action Committee (JAC) later in the same year. The SSPC's president is Maj-Gen Hso Ten, who was detained in Taunggyi with 4 others. Hkun Htoon Oo, who was being held in Rangoon, is the JAC's chairman.

"Sao Hso Ten had not gone to Taunggyi on his own, the way the authorities wanted to impress us," he continued. "He was on the SSPC assignment to meet with members of this group called New Generation (Shan State). What happens to him definitely concern us."

Col Gaifah had just arrived in Rangoon, when Hkun Htoon Oo and Sai Nood were "invited" by the police. "I had travelled to the capital to join the Union Day (12 February) celebrations there and stay on to attend the National Convention," he explained. "But news of their detention forced me to turn back. We decided there was no sense in continuing my stay."

Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing, Commander of the Lashio-based Northeastern Region, had summoned Maj-Gen Loimao, Commander of SSA "North" and Col Sai Yi, Commander of the SSNA, to inform them of the actions taken by the military authorities which he said "need not concern" them. "That's preposterous," exclaimed one ceasefire source. "They're our leaders."

On the brighter side, Maj Han Aung and Capt Oo Hseng, who were detained together with Hso Ten, were released yesterday, confirmed Col Gaifah.

"We have also received messages from other ceasefire groups telling us they are with us all the way," he disclosed without elaboration.

Rangoon has time and again warned against association between political parties and armed ceasefire groups.