Statement of PSLF condemning Myanmar Government for Relentlessly Oppressing Ta-an (Palaung) Region and the People with Military Operations

February 10, 2014 /St. No. 004/05/TaNaKa-14

1.       We, the Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta-ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA), strongly condemn Myanmar government, led by President U Thein Sein, and Myanmart Tatmadaw (Myanma Army) for endlessly launching military operations in Ta-an (Palaung) Region, in which the Myanmar troops commit regularly gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity, consisting of beating up of the local innocent villagers, using the villagers for forced labor and mine clearing, looting of the people’s properties, firing heavy weapons into villages etc.

2.       Within a short period of one month in this year, there have been 30 clashes between the Ta-ang Army and Myanmar Army troops, and the Myanmar military columns have been increasingly intimidating towards the villages. On January 17, 2014, the Myanmar troops arrested and tortured Homain villagers in Namsan Township, forcibly took possessions of the villagers and their money amounting to 3 million Kyats. The troops also terrorized the villages of Manmai Mane Kwan, Rhuman, Banlom etc. villages of Namsan Township by arrest and torture of the villagers. Currently also, the Myanmar troops, whenever they come to the villages, are interrogating the village administrators and Buddhist monks by beating, and seizing villagers for forced labor and guide.

3.       In the first week of February, the 4-Monthly Meeting of Myanmar Tatmadaw (Burma Army) held at Naypyidaw (the new capital of Burma) approved commander of the North-East Command Gen. Aung Soe’s plan to increase military strength and launch more intensive offensives in Ta-an Region. In practice also, the Myanmar troops are on the increase and getting more and more active daily. They openly declare that they have come to Palaung Region to kill human beings, in accordance with the 4-Monthly Meeting’s directive.

4.       We vehemently condemn Myanmar government and Myanmar Tatmadaw, which are giving lip service to nationwide ceasefire and internal peace, and which, in practice, are perpetrating genocide against the Kachin, Ta-ang etc. ethnic nationality peoples. At the same time, we caution the other armed ethnic resistance organizations to keep up the revolutionary alertness. 

5.       Whatever the intensity of repression through military offensives by Myanmar government and Myanmar Army, we will carry on the armed revolutionary resistance, until the political aim laid down by the PSLF/TNLA for the Palaung people, is achieved. In conclusion, we earnestly call upon every Ta-ang youth and national, wherever they are, to participate in and support the revolutionary resistance war, in all possible ways, that is being waged to protect the entire Ta-ang nationality.

Ta-ang State Must Be Recognized!

Central Executive Committee

Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF/TNLA)