The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on Tuesday said that other ethnic rebels can open liaison offices in TNLA-held Kutkai town but are not allowed to deploy troops there.
The statement came after a heated altercation on March 7, when more than 100 Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops entered Kutkai without notifying the TNLA in advance, a resident told The Irrawaddy.
“They arrived suddenly, and TNLA troops rushed to stop them. Residents were even worried that the two sides would clash,” the local said. Apparently the KIA had failed to give fair warning to the TNLA-controlled administration body of the town.
After negotiation between local commanders, the KIA troops left without further incident.
The TNLA captured Kutkai during the Brotherhood Alliance’s Operation 1027 in January last year. Under an agreement among the different ethnic allies, the KIA, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) have to inform the TNLA in advance if their troops are to enter or pass through Kutkai.
According to 2019 data, Kutkai’s population is made up of ethnic Kachin, Palaung (Ta’ang), Monewun, Kokang, Lisu, Bamar, and Mao people. The KIA had a liaison office in Kutkai even before the 2021 coup.
In the evening of the same day, March 7, the TNLA kicked the KIA’s liaison office and some 30 KIA troops stationed in the staff quarters of the Kutkai Township General Administration Department out of the town.
They were driven to Manban village west of the town on the road to Namphatka, another resident told The Irrawaddy.
“Large numbers of TNLA raided the KIA office and forced them onto military trucks,” he said. “Then they carried their office furniture onto the trucks. The situation got complicated when ethnic Kachin residents tried to stop them.”
The raid resulted in fisticuffs between TNLA troops and KIA members and some Kachin residents.
The TNLA also detained everyone in KIA uniform across the town and shipped them to Manban.
TNLA spokeswoman Lway Yay Oo said the TNLA has repeatedly warned the KIA that they must officially inform the TNLA if they are to open liaison office in TNLA territory, and that they can only wear civilian clothes and not military uniforms there.
“The KIA does not follow our instruction, but they often throw their weight around in the town, and their members strut about in military uniforms and carry arms,” she added. “We investigated [KIA troops] in uniform on March 7. We have been fighting drugs in Kutkai, and we found that [some KIA] troops are involved in drug cases. So we removed them.”
KIA spokesman Colonel Naw Bu said the KIA would hold talks with the TNLA.
“Our troops were driven out,” he said. “If the two sides coordinate based on mutual understanding and respect, we will be able to avoid friction and disputes.”
A politician elected in the 2020 general elections in Kutkai Township advised locals not to get involved in disputes between ethnic armed groups.
“We have a township support committee with various ethnic representatives. It would be best if it can act as a mediator to build harmony between different ethnic armed groups,” he said. “There will be fewer tensions if ethnic groups inform others when they ar going to pass through disputed territory.”
The situation is complicated. During Operation 1027, the TNLA seized Kutkai town but the MNDAA seized Tarmoenye sub-township and the KIA Nam Phat Ka village in Kutkai Township. There have been frequent frictions between the three over road access, troop deployments and, not least importantly, taxation.
Earlier this year, the KIA and the TNLA also clashed over road access to Nam Phat Ka village, and the KIA and local ethnic Kachin removed two TNLA checkpoints.
