‘Both armies have lost many things. No one benefited,’ a member of Namkham civil society said about the fighting between the RCSS and SSPP.

A civil society organization and political party in conflict-affected Namkham Township, northern Shan State, released a statement approving of a ceasefire between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP).

The United People-Namkham Township (UP) and the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) also stated that they want the two armed forces to merge and become one army.

The ceasefire was announced on May 11, with the statement in response coming out last week on May 16.

“Problems were really bad when the two Shan forces were fighting each other. Both armies have lost many things. No one benefited,” Sai Mauk Seng, secretary of UP, told SHAN. “Soldiers from both armies were killed the clashes. Local people had to flee from their homes. The Shan people are suffering a lot, and lost everything. It should not happen. They should stop fighting.”

He commended the groups for “listening to the voices of the monks, local people, civil society organizations and political parties.”

The statement welcoming the ceasefire emphasized the need for the RCSS and SSPP to become one professional army, to protect the Shan people, and to prioritize the Shan national movement.