China urged a truce in separate talks with Myanmar’s junta and the ethnic Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) last week, TNLA spokeswoman Lway Yay Oo told an online press conference on Saturday.
“The Chinese government mainly focused on a ceasefire and the need to protect civilians. No tripartite talks have been held so far, with China only holding separate meetings. We raised concerns about the regime’s current operations, especially violence against civilians. The regime may also have presented their views [in the separate meeting]. China is working to broker talks between us and the regime,” said Lway Yay Oo.
The regime and the TNLA declared ceasefires following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in late March. However, clashes have continued over the past three months, with the regime conducting numerous airstrikes on TNLA-controlled towns. Neither side has extended its ceasefire this month.
“We have not yet extended the ceasefire, which the regime is violating by launching attacks against us. We issued the ceasefires under pressure [from China], but clashes have only intensified. For now, we are exercising our right to self-defense. This is how we are protecting Nawnghkio,” she said.
Despite the ceasefire, junta air attacks on Nawnghkio and Kyaukme townships in northern Shan State and Mandalay Region’s Mogoke have killed several civilians and wounded dozens more. At least six people were killed and over 30 injured in June alone, according to the TNLA.
The regime barrage came after the TNLA rejected demands to withdraw from five key towns on the China-Myanmar trade route – Nawnghkio, Kyaukme, Hsipaw, Mogoke and Momeik – during China-brokered peace talks in April.
The regime has now launched a major offensive to retake Nawnghkio, which lies on the vital Mandalay-Muse trade route to China.
The junta and TNLA are scheduled to resume China-brokered ceasefire talks in August, where the regime is likely to repeat its demand. However, the TNLA has no plan to relinquish the five towns, Lway Yay Oo said.
The group will instead call on the junta to stop fighting and guarantee security for civilians, but “our troops will remain where they are,” she said.
Meanwhile, the TNLA is making strategic moves to prevent the fall of Nawnghkio, she said.
