The Brotherhood Alliance warned the junta on Wednesday that it risked throwing a wrench into their ceasefire by imposing martial law in three townships under the control of one of its three members in northern Shan State.
The imposition of the martial law threatens people in the three townships under the administration of the ethnic revolutionary group, the alliance said in its statement on Wednesday.
The junta on Monday declared martial law in Shan State’s Mantong, Namhsan and Namtu townships, all of which are under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), a member of the ethnic alliance.
The Brotherhood Alliance also includes the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army from Rakhine State.
The alliance launched a major anti-regime offensive dubbed Operation 1027 across the northern Shan State on Oct. 27 last year, sending Myanmar’s military into a tailspin it has yet to recover from. The alliance seized almost all of northern Shan State, including about 20 towns and vital trade routes between Myanmar and China, as well as hundreds of military outposts and bases, including several command centers.
The operation was halted in early January after the alliance agreed to a China-brokered ceasefire with the regime.
Namhsan, Namtu and Mantong are among seven townships seized by the TNLA during Operation 1027.
The junta’s imposition of martial law occurred as TNLA was installing civilian administrations in the seized townships.
“We are concerned that the junta’s imposition [of martial law] could make it difficult to implement the agreements of the Haigeng Ceasefire,” the ethnic alliance said, referring to the ceasefire reached with the junta in talks held in early January at the Haigeng Hotel in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province.
The alliance promised to halt its offensives against regime targets, while the junta pledged not to launch assaults – including shelling and airstrikes – in northern Shan State. Both sides also said they would not endanger the security of Chinese citizens along the border and avoid damaging Chinese investment in Myanmar.
In the early days of the ceasefire, the junta was accused of violating it by continuing to attack civilian targets and territory held by the ethnic armies.
On Feb. 28, the junta also imposed martial law in Mongmit and Mabein townships in northern Shan State. Both were seized by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The junta retook Mongmit after the KIA withdrew in late January, but Mabein is still under KIA control.
A political analyst told The Irrawaddy that the junta’s imposition of martial law in the townships was its way of asserting control over them. “It wants to show that it doesn’t intend to allow the KIA and TNLA to control the townships. They probably have a plan to retake them. [If they try] they will have to fight [and] the ceasefire agreement will become void at once,” he said.
