Gen Khin Nyunt meets ceasefire groups’ leaders

SVB (August 19,2003)

Sr Gen Maung Aye, the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) deputy commander in chief of the Defence Services, and party has been visiting China, while Gen Khin Nyunt, the SPDC chief of military intelligence, met and held talks with the leaders of the cease-fire groups in Rangoon on 18 August.

The leaders of nine ceasefire groups are being seen individually and mainly regional development issues are being discussed, said one leader of a ceasefire group. When asked if the general explained to him May 30 Dipeyin incident to him, the same leader said that he is unable to say the details of the discussion.

According to earlier reports, the ethnic national leaders were summoned to Rangoon to meet the general because seven ceasefire groups sent a letter to the SPDC’s leader general Than Shwe on the 1st of July in concerning with Dipeyin incident.

The seven are Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Kayan New Land Party (KNLP), Karenni Nationals People Liberation Front (KNPLF), Shan State Nationalities People’s Liberation Organisations (SSNPLO), Palaung State Liberation Organisation (PSLO) and Shan State Peace Council (SSPC).

According to today’s Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN), all the ceasefire groups were met by the deputy military intelligence chief, Maj Gen Kyaw Win on Saturday. Quoting a Shan delegate who attended the meeting, SHAN said that the general didn’t say a word about the joint statement of the seven groups but elaborately explained to them about the 30 May Dipeyin incident.