Myanmar rebel commander denies Chinese mercenaries fighting with his forces
Government alleges former soldiers from China are aiding a rebel insurgency in the Kokang region that has led thousands to flee across the border into Yunnan province
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 25 February, 2015, 10:25am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 25 February, 2015, 11:11am
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Troops on patrol in the Kokang region of Myanmar. Government forces are fighting ethnic-Chinese rebels. Photo: EPA
The head of ethnic rebel forces in a restive region of northern Myanmar has denied claims by the country’s military that they are supported by mercenaries from China, a Chinese state-run newspaper reported.
Peng Jiasheng, an ethnic Chinese commander in the Kokang region, told the Global Times that it was an “iron bottom-line” not to accept Chinese citizens in his army.
Peng said that Kokang, largely populated by ethnic Chinese, had banned Chinese citizens from entering the region bordering China to join his Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.
“There would be no benefit, but harm to us,” Peng said.
“Most importantly, we will face enormous pressure once Chinese law enforcement agencies uncover any Chinese nationals taking part in the war here. So in principle we do not to allow Chinese citizens to join the war,” he said.
Another senior military official told the newspaper: “We advise them to return, if we find any Chinese citizens illegally crossing the border, let alone accept veterans from China.”
Peng’s comments came after Myanmar’s chief of military affairs security said at a news conference that Kokang rebels were receiving help from mercenaries from China as well as guerrilla armies from the minority areas of Kachin, Mong La, Wa, Palaung and northern Shan.
Lieutenant General Mya Tun Oo said Kokang rebel forces include former Chinese soldiers who were providing military training, although the Chinese central government was “very unlikely to be involved, but some authorities from autonomous regions might be”, he was quoted as saying by The Irrawaddy newspaper.
The Global Times report also cited an unnamed government department in China as saying that any Chinese citizens found attempting to join conflicts abroad would face grave consequences if caught.
Thousands of refugees have been trapped in fighting between government troops and Kokang rebels since early this month and many have poured across the border into Yunnan province in China.
They include 30,000 people who are taking refuge Lincang, Xinhua reported.
