One official from the Burma government’s division of Military Security Affairs (MSA) was killed and two officials from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) were seriously injured after the two sides opened fire during a meeting on Wednesday in southern Shan State’s Mong Ton Township.

The incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. in a house in Nar Kong Mu village while the Wa and Burma Army officials were discussing disputed land in Mongsat Township.

After an argument between the two groups allegedly escalated, both began shooting at one another, leaving Ngyi Ngyi Aung, the MSA official, with gunshot wounds to his stomach. He was taken to the nearby Mongsat Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

“The Burma officials were on an inspection trip regarding the disputed land,” said a source close to both parties. He explained that the Burma Army allegedly asked the Wa officials to clarify the boundaries of their territory in the area, but that “the answer from the Wa was unclear.”

“The Burma Army official got angry and then opened fire,” he said.

The source added that the case has now been reassigned to the headquarters of the Burma Army’s regional command in Keng Tung, eastern Shan State

“We will apologize if we are wrong,” said U Ta Lue, an official from the UWSA-South. “They [the Burma Army] were the ones who first opened fire. Therefore, they should apologize to us.”

In a meeting in Keng Tung earlier this month, U Thein Zaw, vice chairman of the government’s Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) told the UWSA’s representatives that there would be no guarantee for the security of UWSA-controlled areas in southern Shan State if they do not sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA); the signing is scheduled to be held in the first week of October.

The UWSA have had a presence in Mongsat since 1998, when Burma was under the rule of Khin Nyunt, the military general who briefly served as the country’s Prime Minister.

BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N.)