Friday, October 12, 2012

Gov’t agrees to build village for Shan group

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Friday, 12 October 2012 13:05 Mizzima News

An agreement to set up a village for families of the Shan State Progress Party / Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) and internally displaced persons has been reached with the Burmese government, the Shan Herald reported on Thursday.

A new village for 350 families would be established in the Honam-Tawng Hio area where the Tangyan and Monghsu township borders meet, said the report, which also said the agreement has not yet been signed.

A village in northern Shan State. Photo: Doron / Wikipedia

A committee will be formed to survey the area and choose a suitable site.

The report said the meeting did not address the current fighting in the Sino-Burmese oil/gas pipeline area in northern Shan State.

The two sides also failed talk about Ta Hsarm Pu Crossing over the Pang River, where the Burmese Army had demanded the SSA withdraw its troops.

“It means the fighting goes on,” said SSPP/SSA spokesman Maj Sai La was quoted as saying.

The SSA would have to deal with the regional commanders directly to discuss military issues, according to the report.

The UPWC delegation was headed by Vice Chairmen Aung Min and Thein Zaw and included Shan State chief minister Sao Aung Myat and regional commanders Tun Tun Naung and Min Aung.

Sources were unable to say if the planned village would be modeled on the Kyaukkyi pilot project jointly implemented in May in the Pegu Division by the government, Karen National Union (KNU) and the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative (MPSI), commonly known as Norwegian Initiative.

The project involved 1,585 internally displaced people (224 households). It came into being after a need assessment was carried out followed by a field visit by the MPSI.

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