On the morning of 7 May, a humanitarian convoy which included diplomats from ASEAN countries was attacked in Hsihseng Township in southern Shan State. The convoy was travelling near Nang Aw village on the Hopon – Hsihseng union highway at around 9 a.m. when an unidentified armed group launched an attack.
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It has been reported that the diplomats in the convoy included foreign ambassadors, although SHAN has not been able to independently verify the list of people in the convoy.
“It’s true, there were ambassadors from ASEAN countries in the convoy. I do not know the exact number of foreign ambassadors in the convoy. The convoy was escorted by police. The convoy was attacked near Nang Aw village. After being attacked, the convoy turned around and did not continue to its original destination,” a member of the IDP Assistance Committee for Hsihseng Township told SHAN.
The IDP Assistance Committee member said that nobody from the convoy was killed or injured during the attack.
“The convoy was attacked by an unidentified armed group yesterday. Ambassadors and representatives from ASEAN countries were coming to have a meeting with us today. They told me they were attacked on the way to Hsihseng town, and they requested that we investigate who attacked their convoy,” a local volunteer told SHAN. The volunteer was among the people waiting to meet with the ASEAN diplomats.
Another volunteer, who is providing humanitarian assistance to IDPs in Hsihseng Township, said that representatives of ASEAN countries and foreign ambassadors were coming to visit IDPs in Hsihseng Township.
“I feel so sorry for this attack. They were coming to help IDPs. Whoever committed this attack, it is really bad. It is completely the wrong thing to do. They are coming to assist our humanitarian efforts, it’s not related to politics,” the volunteer told SHAN.
More than 8,000 local people have been displaced by intense battles between the Burma army and civilian resistance groups in the Shan State – Kayah State (Karenni State) border area. These displaced people have taken shelter in Hsihseng Township in southern Shan state, and are in need of emergency assistance including food rations, medicine, clothes and shelter materials.
