EROs Profile

National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS)

Staff

June 6, 2013

5389

SUMMARY

Established: 1989

Headquarters: Mongla, Eastern Shan State.

Active Territories: Mongla, Shan State (Special Region – 4)

Strength: More than 3,000

Chair – Sai Lin

Vice Chair – San Pae

General Secretary – U Kyi Myint

The NDAA-ESS was established in 1989 after splitting from the Communist Party of Burma (CPB). It signed a ceasefire agreement with the military government on 30 June the same year. It is an ethnic armed group based in Mongla. In September and December 2011, it signed the state-level and union-level ceasefire agreements with the U Thein Sein administration. However, it did not sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The NDAA–ESS, which is a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) led by the United Wa State Party/ the United Wa State Army (UWSP/UWSA), has held talks with the military council following the 2021 military coup. It arranged a meeting between the military council and a group of the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA), the Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/ TNLA) and the Myanmar National Truth and Justice Party/Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNTJP/MNDAA), at its headquarters in Mongla from 1-3 June 2023. However, the discussion stopped on the second day of the meeting. The meeting was sponsored by the Chinese government, but ended without any agreement.

At a meeting with the coup leader on 26 September 2022, the NDAA-ESS called for the designation of Special Region-4 as a self-administered zone.

Ceasefires and Peace Process
2nd EAO to sign ceasefire agreement
Step 1 – State – Level Ceasefire Agreement (September 7, 2011)
Step 2 – Union – level ceasefire agreement (December 27, 2011)
Former Ceasefire agreement –
June 30, 1989

Official Representative Team
rotating

Liaison Offices
Yangon
Taunggyi
Kyaing Tong
Tachileik
Mandalay (reopened)

Official delegation team

Rotational

Meetings

#	Date	Location	Armed Group Rep	Govt Rep	Details
1	07/09/2011	Kengtung, Shan state	San Pae	Aung Thaung	State-level 7 point ceasefire agreement
2	8/10/2011	Kengtung, Shan state	San Pae	Aung Thaung	The Mong La group will be allowed to reopen its liaison offices, reassignment of staff for ensuring better education, health, agriculture and transport in Special Region (4) and the elimination of illegal narcotic drugs, and signed agreements. Other govt. delegates: Thein Zaw; the Shan state Chief Minister Sai Aung Myat; Shan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Aung Thu; and the Shan state Advocate General Maung Maung
3	27/12/2011	Mongla, Shan state	Sai Lin	Aung Thaung	Union Level 6-point ceasefire agreement other NDAA delegates: Vice-Chairman U San Pae and Secretary U Kham Maung Other govt. delegates: U Thein Zaw, Union Ministers U Ohn Myint and U Win Tun met Chairman of Special Region (4) U Sai Lin, Vice-Chairman U San Pae and Secretary U Kham Maung
4	06/10/2012	Kengtung, Shan state	Sai Lin	Myanmar army chief vice-snr Gen. Min Aung Hlaing	Agreement to cooperate against drugs
5	03/12/2012	Mongla, Shan state	Sai Lin	Aung Min	Granted permission to produce 1,000 tons of timber (out of 10,000 tons it had requested), construct hydropower plants and operate mineral mines Other govt. delegates: U Thein Zaw ,U Soe Thein, President’s Office Minister; Lt-Gen Thein Htay, Border Affairs Minister; Sao Aung Myat, Shan State Chief Minister; Col Aung Thu, Shan State Security and Border Affairs Minister; Maj-Gen Than Tun Oo, Commander, Triangle Region Command; and Maj Gen Aung Soe, Commander, Northeastern Region Command
6	09/05/2013	Mongla, Shan state	NDAA	UPWC vice chairman 3 Thein Zaw	They discussed 2014 census taking andd ongoing development projects in the area
7	03/09/2013	Kengtung	NDAA	UPWC/ Shwe Mann	informal meeting
8	04/10/2013	Pang Sang	NDAA	UPWC	informal meeting
9	21/03/2014	Mong Lar	NDAA ( Special Region 4 Mongla)	Minister U Thein Zaw, vice chairman of the government’s Peace Making Committee	Informal meeting 7 points joint statement released for the peace between government and NDAA.
10	01/03/2014	Naypyitaw	Pao Yu Yi, Zhao Zhongdan, U Sam Lu (Khun Sam Lu) and Sao Khun Hseng	U Thein Sein	Informal meeting Leaders from UWSA, NDAA and SSPP met president Thein Sein after attending the census campaign in Naypyitaw.
11	03/03/2014	Naypyitaw	vice-chairman U Sam Lu	Thura U Shwe Mann	Informal meeting Along with UWSA leaders, they attended the census campaign.
12	25/08/2014	Naypyitaw	NDAA-ESS, U San Pay (Vice chairman) , UWSA – Shao Min Lian (Vice Chairman), SSPP/SSA Gen Khae Taine vice chairman	President Thein Sein	Informal meeting
13	25/08/2014	Naypyitaw	NDAA-ESS, U San Pay (Vice chairman), UWSA – Shao Min Lian (Vice Chairman)	Commander In Chief , Min Aung Hlaing	Informal meeting
14	26/08/2014	Naypyitaw	NDAA-ESS, U San Pay (Vice chairman) , UWSA – Shao Min Lian (Vice Chairman), SSPP/SSA Gen Khur Tai vice chairman	Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann , Khin Aung Myint	Informal meeting

Developments

Agreements:

1. Agrees to continue to hold talks to cooperate with defense forces of the state for security and defense of the state
2. Cooperate to improve tourism, mining, and electricity in NDAA controlled areas

Demanding:

- To open tourism areas for Thai and Chinese tourists
- To allow the NDAA access to mining, coal and gold exploration and production
- To allow outside business groups to invest in the NDAA areas
- To send researchers to the area to assess natural resources
- To allow access to teak wood trading for 10,000 tons, as well as 10,000 tons of other hardwoods
- To allow NDAA control of border checkpoints and to receive border checkpoint tax fees
- To allow NGOs and the U.N. to help improve the area
- To supply NDAA areas with rice, fuel oil and money
Cooperate to improve education, health and transportation in NDAA controlled areas
Government officials will be sent to run government offices in NDAA areas and NDAA people will be sent to work in NDAA liaison offices in government controlled areas
NDAA to take part in government’s 15 year (1999-2014) drug elimination plan

Demanding:

To issue national identification cards for people in the NDAA controlled area of Eastern Shan state
To issue vehicle licenses for people in NDAA areas

Statements

Oct 5, 2014 – UWSA and NDAA released a joint statement

Mar 21, 2014 – NDAA and UPWC released the Joint statement for the development issue after ceasefire

Mar 21, 2014 – UPWC and NDAA informal meeting in Mong Lar, NDAA headquarter for the Nationwide ceasefire agreement

Jan 10, 2013 – NDAA, UWSA and SSPP/SSA issued a joint statement for the govt to stop its offensive against the KIO/KIA and start political dialogue

Partnerships

Shan Conference named “Trust building for peace” was held in Taw-win-ninsi hall in Shwegontai Township, Yangon on Nov. 26, 2012. Minister Aung Min (chief negotiator) gave the opening speech. Minister Aung Min and Minister Soe Thein also attended the meeting. One-hundred and fifty Shan representatives from the SNLD, SNDP, TNDP, RCSS/SSA-S, SSPP/SSA-N, NDAA and others attended the meeting.

SNLD chairperson U Khun Tun Oo visited Mongla from Dec. 6-9, 2012 where he met Mongla leader U Sai Leun. U Khun Tun Oo was accompanied by RCSS/SSA liaison officers.

Reference: Deciphering Myanmar’s Peace Process – A Reference Guide (2022 – 2023)