UCDP

General information

Part of Conflict: Myanmar (Burma): Government

Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1992-01-12
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: PSLF was formed on 12 January 1992 as a splinter faction from PSLA (Palaung State Liberation Army). The group splintered as a reaction to the ceasefire agreement with the government. According to a statement of the General Seceretary of PSLF Mai Aik Phone from 16 April 2007 the goals of PSLF from the outset was manifold:

"We wanted to see all Burmese nationalities free from oppression: the removal of the military regime and the end of supernationalism: the right to self-determination and to oppose the narcotics industry: a nationwide cease-fire and the opportunity to build a genuine federal union of Burma incorporating a national Palaung state and,: The establishment of fundamental human and democratic rights according to international standards for our people."

Date of first use of armed force: 1992-03-15
Comment on date of first use of armed force: PSLF was formed on 12 January 1992 in the KNU camp of Marnaplaw together with other Burmese rebels they conducted joint-operations against the SPDC at Thai-Burma border. On 15 March for example heavy fighting continued north of Manerplaw, PSLF was among the Burmese dissident allies fighting alongside KNU against the Burmese army.
First Battle Related Death: 1994-05-02
Comment on First Battle Related Death: It is probable that the first battle-related death occurred in 1991 in the clashes over the KNU Manerplaw base. However these deaths have probably been attributed to the KNU conflict since it is their headquarters. On 2 May 1994 the chairman of PSLF Mai Tin Moung also known as Mai Dwio Vang was killed in Manerplaw.

Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2013-11-15
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: The dyad became active for the first time in 2013. It was on 15 November when Government troops launched fresh attacks against Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) troops stationed between Manmauk and Tan-tay village in Manton township in Shan state despite efforts by the Union level Peace-making Working Committee to court the ethnic armed group into a ceasefire and take part in a nationwide ceasefire scheme.

According to an anonymous TNLA officer, two government soldiers were killed and one injured after the offensives. No TNLA casualties have been reported.

Conflict issues

Conflict Goal Issues: PSLF (Palaung State Liberation Front) was a rebel group formed as a splinter faction from the PSLA (Palaung State Liberation Army) in Myanmar’s Shan state (/#/country/775/) who fought the [Government of Myanmar (Burma)] (/#/conflict/14273/). It was formed to oppose the ceasefire signed by the [PSLA] and the [Government of Myanmar (Burma)] (/#/actor/144/). The group fought for the ethnic minority Palaung (or Da Ta-ang) people’s requests, thus stressing their identity, and adopting a nationalistic ideology to ask “to be recognized as an independent race”. Additionally, PSLF created its own army [TNLA] (Ta’ang National Liberation Army) in 2009. The group first conflict issues were coded in 1992, when they released their first incompatibility statement. [PSLF] (/#/actor/5965/) stated as their first conflict goals issues a call for Federalism, a change in the Executive, Law and Order, Democracy and Human rights: “We wanted to see all Burmese nationalities free from oppression: the removal of the military regime and the end of supernationalism: the right to self-determination and to oppose the narcotics industry: […] and the opportunity to build a genuine federal union of Burma incorporating a national Palaung state and: The establishment of fundamental human and democratic rights according to international standards for our people.” [PSLF] (/#/actor/5965/) initial conflict goals issues remained constantly present and demanded in their statements and interviews during the period analyzed. However, from 2012 they started to also demand more civil rights for the Ta’ang people to achieve national equality, and the right of self-determination. Furthermore, during the last two year of analysis (i.e., 2016 and 2017) [PSLF] (/#/actor/5965/) started to oppose the 2008 constitution and demanded a new union constitution. [PSLF] (/#/actor/5965/) main issues were Federalism, Human rights, Democracy, and Law and Order, demonstrated by the emphasis they put on these demands and the number of years they were coded for.

Conflict Dynamics Issues: The first issue raised in the conflict dynamics sphere was in 1997 when the [PSLF] (/#/acort/5965) stated that after independence in 1948 “Brutal suppression of the ethnic nationalities through the use of armed might is still continuing”, thus condemning the way the [Government of Myanmar (Burma)] (/#/actor/144/) violently targeted the Ta’ang people. Similar to the [PSLF] (/#/actor/5965/)’s conflict goals issues, the group’s conflict dynamics issues remained mostly invariant throughout the period analyzed. In general, they constantly condemned the numerous human rights violations, crimes against humanity, and abuses committed by the [Burma government’s army] (/#/actor/144/) towards the Palaung people; as well as the conduct of the army during the conflict. Other conflict dynamics issues coded in later years were a request for international monitoring and support for both the drugs eradication and peace processes in [Myanmar (Burma)] (/#/country/775/). The main conflict dynamic issue concerned the collective targeting of the Ta’ang ethnic group, and military conduct of the government.

Conflict Resolution Issues: The first conflict resolution issue was raised in the same statement as the first conflict goals issues in 1992. In that statement [PSLF] (/#/acort/5965) asked for a nationwide Ceasefire. [PSLF] (/#/acort/5965) started asking for Ceasefires in 1992 and this remained a constant conflict resolution issue also in other coded years – e.g., in 2012 the group asked the government to stop the military offensive and to declare a nation-wide Ceasefire, and the same happened from 2014 until 2016. The group started also asking for initiating a peace negotiation and peace process to rebuild [Myanmar (Burma)] (/#/country/775/) from 2014 until 2016. For the group the main conflict resolution issue was reaching a Ceasefire agreement with the government. This is due to the recurrence of the issue and the emphasis the group put on it.

Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Autonomy, Civil rights, Constitutional issues, CPS: Democracy, Cultural rights, Economic reforms, Federalism, Hold elections, Human rights, Law and order, Oust full executive

Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, Collective targeting: ethnic, DFI: Withdrawal of financial support, IFI: Foreign mediator, IFI: International monitoring, Military conduct, Release of prisoners

Conflict Resolution Issues: Call for ceasefire, Call for negotiations, DDR issues, Structure of negotiations

Annual information

This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.