The Brotherhood Alliance will not stop Operation 1027 till it rids all of Myanmar – not just the north – of the military junta, the spokesperson for one of its three members told The Irrawaddy.
Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) spokesperson Li Jar Wen also said that there is no need to negotiate with the junta because its military is weak. It is so depleted that it lacks the ground forces necessary to regain territory taken by the Brotherhood Alliance since it launched Operation 1027 – a coordinated attack on junta forces in northern Myanmar –on Oct. 27.
Since then, the alliance of three ethnic armies has seized control of much of Kokang Self-Administered Zone, which borders China in northern Shan State.
The MNDAA is currently focused on seizing Laukkai Town, Kokang’s capital, but its goals – and those of its partners – extend much further, Li Jar Wen explained.
What towns has MNDAA seized so far?
The towns or the territories that we have seized are Kunlong, Chinshwehaw, Shin Wan, Hone Shin, and – on the other side of the [Salween] river – Monekoe, Hpawngseng, Pang Seng, Kyin San Kyawt border gate [and] Namsalat on the Lashio–Muse Union Road. Altogether, the Brotherhood Alliance has seized more than 200 junta bases and outposts so far. Among them, over 180 are in Shan State Special Region-1 [Kokang SAZ].
Where did the MNDAA install its own administration?
We [first] reestablished our own administration in Pang Seng, Shin Wan [and] Hone Shin [and] then in Chinshwehaw and Kunlong. We still need more administrative staff in Kunlong and Chinshwehaw. This is a challenge we face. We are not able to run the administration as effectively as we want in those two towns. Another challenge is that we are still responsible for protecting these areas from junta attacks.
Does the junta have the power to launch intensive offensives in these areas?
We have always been preparing to defend against any possible attacks from the junta’s military. But it is also true that the junta’s military no longer has that much power on the ground, or it no longer has that many troops to launch [ground] attacks, as [military] analysts have said. However, we still have to make the required preparations to defend our land.
Will we see the MNDAA seizing more towns this month?
Yes. Our aim is to end the military dictatorship, so you will see us seizing more towns in December. Until [the military dictatorship] is ended, we will continue seizing towns.
Min Aung Hlaing said the MNDAA and allies have 65,000 troops, including foreign “experts,’’ supporting operation 1027. Do you want to comment on this?
Everyone in the country knows that he is brazenly lying. He was, however, forced to admit that towns had been seized [so] he used the term “foreign” [to detract from our strength]. He still wants people to believe that Operation 1027 is an invasion. And, to get support from the people, he wants to pretend that his junta’s military is protecting the country. This is a deliberate political trick.
How do you treat the prisoners of war and those who surrenderer?
We take good care of prisoners of war (POWs) according to our POW policy. We prove medical treatment to [regime] troops who surrender to us. We guarantee [to protect] their lives and human dignity [as well as] their dignity as soldiers. If they want to keep living here, we allow them to. If they want to reunite with their families, we help arrange that too. We give them the money they need for travel expenses to [rejoin] their families.
Will you enter central Myanmar and join other revolutionary forces in the region to fight the junta?
We will continue coordinating with [other] revolutionary forces as our common mission [for] the revolution is to eradicate the military dictatorship.
Will you negotiate with the junta if they invite you?
We don’t have to negotiate with [the junta] at all.
