The Shanni Nationalities Army (Burmese: ရှမ်းနီ အမျိုးသားများ တပ်မတော်; abbr.SNA) is a Shanni insurgent group active in northern Sagaing Region and Kachin State, Myanmar (Burma). It was founded as a group in 1989[1] but was transformed into an armed group in January 2016 by expelled Shanni members of the Kachin Independence Army.[3][4] The SNA has five objectives – to gain statehood, to fight drugs, to establish a federal Union, to build unity among all Shan sub-groups, and to conserve ecological balance.[1]
The Shanni people suffered identity suppression with many in the SNA pointing to the history of losing their territory to the Kachin people following the Panglong Agreement.[5] Some in the SNA claim the history of historic Shan states in the area from Mong Yang to Hkamti Long.[6] The overlap between desires for a Shanni state and the existing Kachin state, as well as alleged oppression of Shanni by Kachin Independence Army, put the two armed groups in conflict with each other,[1][7] while their demand for statehood also antagonized Tatmadaw.[7]
Historyedit
Formation to 2020edit
According to the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA), the group was formed in July 1989[1] and first established a headquarters in Nwe Impha on the India–Myanmar border in 2009.[6]
The formation of the SNA was announced in January 2016 on the basis that by establishing an armed group, the Shanni people would be given a more prominent role in the country's political dialogue and would be able to protect their area.[8] The SNA grew into relevance from the aftermath of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and against the backdrop of increased violence between the Kachin Independence Army and the Shan State Army – South.[4] SNA members took up arms as they felt only by having an armed group would their ethnic group be an important consideration in the peace process.[5] The SNA and Shanni activists in 2016 wanted the National League for Democracy to allow them to sign the NCA. However, the government had a policy not to recognize new ethnic armed groups.[1]
By 2019, they had bases in several parts of Kachin State and Sagaing Region.[6] Tensions between the Myanmar Army and the SNA increased in mid-April 2020 with increased Myanmar Army militarization in Homalin Township eventually suppressing continued armed conflict.[9] In July 2020, five KIA fighters killed two teenage Shanni boys after taking them captive. The KIA issued a formal apology and punished the fighters two weeks later after increased tension and pressure from the SNA.[10]
Even as the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état devolved into renewed ethnic conflict, many leaders within the SNA preferred to remain bystanders maintaining good connections with the Myanmar Army.[5] Shanni communities had a history of collaboration with the Tatmadaw in their own areas to stand against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).[5] On 26 May 2021, the second-in-command of the SNA, Major General Sao Khun Kyaw was assassinated by the Myanmar Army.[11]
However, by 2022, the SNA was actively allied with the junta as conflict between SNA and the KIA grew. In September that year, it accused KIA, as well as PDF and the NUG of "accelerating the genocide plan against Shan Ni Nationals".[12] A local speculated that increasing presence of KIA in areas contested by the SNA lead it to change its stance.[7]
^ abcdefgChit Min Tun (8 April 2019). . Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
^"Pyu Saw Htee militia". Myanmar NOW. from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
^""Red Shan" form army in northern Burma after demand for new state". Shan Herald Agency for News. 25 January 2016. from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
^ abcGhosh, Nirmal (27 February 2016). "Ethnic clashes highlight fragile peace in Myanmar". The Straits Times. from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
^ abcdBociaga, Robert (24 November 2021). . The Diplomat. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^ abc. NE Now News. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^ abc"A 'political game': Shanni and Kachin armed groups at loggerheads". Frontier Myanmar. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
^BNI (25 January 2016). . Mizzima. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^. BNI Multimedia Group. 27 April 2020. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^Jangma, Elizabeth (24 July 2020). . Translated by Richard Finney. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^. The Irrawaddy. 30 May 2021. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021.
^"(Warning appeal to the public and domestic and foreign armed organizations, human rights and humanitarian organizations domestic and foreign)". 22 September 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
^Nyein Swe (12 August 2022). . Myanmar Now. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024.
^Nyein Swe (2 September 2022). . Myanmar Now. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023.
External linksedit
SNA's Facebook page
January 01, 1970
shanni, nationalities, army, burmese, အမ, တပ, မတ, abbr, shanni, insurgent, group, active, northern, sagaing, region, kachin, state, myanmar, burma, founded, group, 1989, transformed, into, armed, group, january, 2016, expelled, shanni, members, kachin, indepen. The Shanni Nationalities Army Burmese ရ မ န အမ သ မ တပ မတ abbr SNA is a Shanni insurgent group active in northern Sagaing Region and Kachin State Myanmar Burma It was founded as a group in 1989 1 but was transformed into an armed group in January 2016 by expelled Shanni members of the Kachin Independence Army 3 4 The SNA has five objectives to gain statehood to fight drugs to establish a federal Union to build unity among all Shan sub groups and to conserve ecological balance 1 Shanni Nationalities Armyရ မ န အမ သ မ တပ မတ Emblem of the Shanni Nationalities ArmyLeadersSao Meim LiamSao Khun AungDates of operationJanuary 2016 2016 01 presentSplit fromKachin Independence OrganizationActive regionsKachin State Sagaing RegionIdeologyShanni Red Shan nationalismSize1 000 1 AlliesState allies Tatmadaw 2022 present Pyusawhti militias 2 2022 present Non state allies Shan State Army RCSS 1 OpponentsState opponents Myanmar Tatmadaw until 2022 Myanmar Police Force until 2022 Non state opponents Kachin Independence Army Kuki National Army People s Defence ForceBattles and warsInternal conflict in Myanmar Myanmar civil war 2021 present FlagWebsiteFacebook page Contents 1 Background 2 History 2 1 Formation to 2020 2 2 2021 2024 Myanmar civil war 3 References 4 External linksBackground editThe Tai Lai or Shanni people who number around 300 000 people total are a related people to the Shan people They live in western Kachin State and northern Sagaing Region 4 The Shanni people suffered identity suppression with many in the SNA pointing to the history of losing their territory to the Kachin people following the Panglong Agreement 5 Some in the SNA claim the history of historic Shan states in the area from Mong Yang to Hkamti Long 6 The overlap between desires for a Shanni state and the existing Kachin state as well as alleged oppression of Shanni by Kachin Independence Army put the two armed groups in conflict with each other 1 7 while their demand for statehood also antagonized Tatmadaw 7 History editFormation to 2020 edit According to the Shanni Nationalities Army SNA the group was formed in July 1989 1 and first established a headquarters in Nwe Impha on the India Myanmar border in 2009 6 The formation of the SNA was announced in January 2016 on the basis that by establishing an armed group the Shanni people would be given a more prominent role in the country s political dialogue and would be able to protect their area 8 The SNA grew into relevance from the aftermath of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and against the backdrop of increased violence between the Kachin Independence Army and the Shan State Army South 4 SNA members took up arms as they felt only by having an armed group would their ethnic group be an important consideration in the peace process 5 The SNA and Shanni activists in 2016 wanted the National League for Democracy to allow them to sign the NCA However the government had a policy not to recognize new ethnic armed groups 1 By 2019 they had bases in several parts of Kachin State and Sagaing Region 6 Tensions between the Myanmar Army and the SNA increased in mid April 2020 with increased Myanmar Army militarization in Homalin Township eventually suppressing continued armed conflict 9 In July 2020 five KIA fighters killed two teenage Shanni boys after taking them captive The KIA issued a formal apology and punished the fighters two weeks later after increased tension and pressure from the SNA 10 2021 2024 Myanmar civil war edit See also Myanmar civil war 2021 present Even as the 2021 Myanmar coup d etat devolved into renewed ethnic conflict many leaders within the SNA preferred to remain bystanders maintaining good connections with the Myanmar Army 5 Shanni communities had a history of collaboration with the Tatmadaw in their own areas to stand against the Kachin Independence Army KIA 5 On 26 May 2021 the second in command of the SNA Major General Sao Khun Kyaw was assassinated by the Myanmar Army 11 However by 2022 the SNA was actively allied with the junta as conflict between SNA and the KIA grew In September that year it accused KIA as well as PDF and the NUG of accelerating the genocide plan against Shan Ni Nationals 12 A local speculated that increasing presence of KIA in areas contested by the SNA lead it to change its stance 7 In August 2022 the SNA and the Myanmar Army set fire to hundreds of homes in Kachin state forcing KIA withdrawal from the area 13 In September two SNA bases were attacked by the KIA and allied People s Defence Force groups using heavy artillery in Banmauk Township and Homalin Township 14 References edit a b c d e f g Chit Min Tun 8 April 2019 Without Territory the Shanni Army s Difficult Path to Recognition Archived from the original on January 18 2024 Retrieved 16 November 2019 Pyu Saw Htee militia Myanmar NOW Archived from the original on 12 May 2022 Retrieved 23 June 2022 Red Shan form army in northern Burma after demand for new state Shan Herald Agency for News 25 January 2016 Archived from the original on 26 October 2016 Retrieved 8 January 2018 a b c Ghosh Nirmal 27 February 2016 Ethnic clashes highlight fragile peace in Myanmar The Straits Times Archived from the original on 19 July 2018 Retrieved 8 January 2018 a b c d Bociaga Robert 24 November 2021 Myanmar s Army Is Fighting a Multi Front War The Diplomat Archived from the original on September 30 2023 Retrieved 16 November 2022 a b c New rebel group surfaces with a bang on Northeast s frontier NE Now News 9 April 2019 Archived from the original on November 16 2022 Retrieved 16 November 2022 a b c A political game Shanni and Kachin armed groups at loggerheads Frontier Myanmar 20 February 2023 Retrieved 13 March 2024 BNI 25 January 2016 Red Shan form armed organisation Mizzima Archived from the original on August 6 2023 Retrieved 16 November 2022 Sagaing Locals Demand Tatmadaw Shanni Army Cease Fighting BNI Multimedia Group 27 April 2020 Archived from the original on January 8 2024 Retrieved 16 November 2022 Jangma Elizabeth 24 July 2020 Myanmar s Kachin Army Vows Investigation Compensation For Two Shanni Teenagers Killed in Custody Translated by Richard Finney Archived from the original on November 16 2022 Retrieved 16 November 2022 Ethnic Shanni Military Leader Assassinated by Junta Group Claims The Irrawaddy 30 May 2021 Archived from the original on July 9 2021 Warning appeal to the public and domestic and foreign armed organizations human rights and humanitarian organizations domestic and foreign 22 September 2022 Retrieved 13 March 2024 Nyein Swe 12 August 2022 Junta forces torch Hpakant Township village after forcing KIA withdrawal locals say Myanmar Now Archived from the original on January 6 2024 Nyein Swe 2 September 2022 Myanmar junta ally attacked in northern Sagaing Myanmar Now Archived from the original on August 10 2023 External links editSNA s Facebook page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shanni Nationalities Army amp oldid 1218943758, 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