RCSS UNDER FIRE: Accusation of aviation fuel transport for the junta

Myanmar Now on January 21 uploaded a piece of news accusing Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) of being tasked with transportation of aviation fuel for the junta’s Burma Army, which it  categorically denied and demanded apology from the news agency, including taking out the said news from its website.

At this writing Myanmar Now hasn’t taken any action to accommodate the RCSS’s demand, which could mean that it is going to stand by its report.

According to the report, the RCSS is to help transport the aviation fuel from Thai-Myanmar border of Tachileik to Taunggyi, capital of Shan State, someone close to the RCSS source told the Myanmar Now.

Although the route to transport is not known, it is speculated that the RCSS will use jungle trail said the news source who wanted to remain anonymous.

“If the aviation fuel reached Taunggyi,  aircraft can refill in Meiktila Shante Airbase. Then Sagaing, Kayah (Karenni), Kachin would be bombed to bits. I just want all the other ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) to know this,” said the source.

During last year October meeting between the RCSS and the junta three-point agreement was reached said the source on January 20. It includes,  RCSS not to attack the junta; to go according to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA); and not to militarily train the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs).

Reportedly, RCSS has trained at least two batches of PDF during 2021 with at least 200 participants in each batch.

Before the agreement of aviation fuel transport, the RCSS Chairman General Yawd Serk was said to meet some junta’s military officials in Thailand, according to the source, who is said to be also close to the Shan armed group.

RCSS rebuttal

The RCSS on January 22 sent a four-point rebuttal letter to Myanmar Now editor.

The Ester J written piece titled “Said RCSS has agreed to transport aviation fuel for military council,” is based on news source without credibility. Judging from not daring to quote the news source, the piece intentionally aimed at tarnishing the name of the RCSS; downgrading its political dignity; stirring misunderstanding among the public; and creating untrustworthy atmosphere among the EAOs; in a timely planned one-sided manner, writes the letter.

It also complained that Myanmar Now seemed to be taking sides intentionally and tarnished the news agency reporting moral ethic and demanded apology, including taking out the said news from its website.

Analysis

First, let us look at the report pragmatically. Myanmar Now has the right to protect its news source and thus could refuse to comply with the RCSS demand, if it really believes the authenticity of its story. But it should respond to the RCSS by all means.

Second, the feasibility of the transport route through jungle trail without using motor roads is irreal and quite impossible. Should the RCSS soldiers use mules and human backpacks to do the transportation of fuels in plastic containers? RCSS troops have to pass through other EAO territories as well which can be problematic and thus out of question. Last but not least, why should the aviation fuel transport take place when it could be delivered at Tachileik airport from across the Thai border easily and the refill of military aircraft could be done without much hassle on the spot? In short, the so-called anonymous news source isn’t making a convincing input for Myanmar Now, so to speak.

In sum, this piece of news may only be seen as a propaganda, opinion-making or physiological warfare to either tarnish the RCSS reputation and push the group to act defensively by opting to join the junta or the ethnic-democratic camps.

This all comes about as RCSS is toeing the line of peaceful negotiation political dialogue to end the conflict, which Thailand also officially endorsed. It goes without saying that everyone knows RCSS has to rely a lot on Thailand to keep its troops operational. And we should also remember, the ASEAN, UN and EU all also are for negotiated conflict resolution through ASEAN five-point consensus agreed late last year, even though most of the opposition warring parties within the ethnic-democratic camps don’t want anything to do with the peace talks, and especially with the junta.

The junta, on the other hand, is also not for negotiation, at least not on equal terms with the opposition groups, but only according to it prescribed road map, which is the disciplined democracy according to its military-drafted 2008 constitution. Actually a non-starter for the earnest conflict resolution, if years of unfruitful NCA-based peace negotiation process was of any indication.

One thing that we should bear in mind is that because the RCSS doesn’t act like the Chin National Front (CNF) or Karen National Union (KNU) by collaborating with the parallel National Unity Government (NUG), it doesn’t mean that it is pro-junta. Likewise, the Arakan Army (AA) although it is not fighting the junta at this moment in time, it is not endorsing the junta but merely looking after its Arakan people’s interest.

Some EAOs see the fight as a competition between the Bamar, namely the military junta’s State Administration Council (SAC) and National League for Democracy (NLD)-led NUG. In other words, it is a power struggle of who will be allowed to rule following the palace coup (read military coup), of February last year. Thus, the EAOs are ready to cut the deal with either party, so long as the benefit is right for their people.

These groups simply don’t see eye-to-eye with the Bamar majority vision of uprooting the military dictatorship first as the main necessity to build a genuine federal democratic union.

For this reason, it is necessary for all parties that want to see a better change of the country have to be extra cautious not to muddy the political waters when dealing with the EAOs which don’t share the same vision with the NUG. Sadly, at this juncture this piece of accusation news on the RCSS might be doing more harm to the revolution than empowering it, whether it is intended it or not.