Representatives from the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Karen National Union (KNU)
had a meeting on Sunday in Yar-bu Village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Divison, wherein
both sides founded a liaison committee to prevent further clashes.

On Thursday [September 8], gunfire was exchanged between a unit from the NMSP’s armed
wing, the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), and the KNU’s Karen National Liberation
Army (KNLA) over a land territory dispute near Tae Chaung Village, Yebyu Township,
Tenasserim Division.

Although no one from either side was wounded, it damaged several houses in the Tae Chaung
Village, according to Tae Chaung villagers.

To prevent further clashes in the Yebyu Township, prior to focusing on the territory dispute,
representatives from both sides met on September 11 and founded a liaison committee.

The clash occurred because of the ambiguity in territories amongst ethnic armed groups and
the lack of networking with one another, these are the essential reasons leading to the liaison c
ommittee’s establishment, according to Padoh Win Khine, official in charge of KNU Myeik-
Tavoy District Liaison Office.

“They will explain to the central level about this territory dispute. However, before that, in order
to solve the problem and prevent further problems, officials in charge of territories from both
sides met and founded a committee to work together,” said Padoh Win Khine.

The meeting was a district level meeting, wherein both sides agreed to report to the central
levels of the NMSP and KNU respectively, to recognize territories, to supervise by respective
KNU and NMSP’s territory unit commander officers in order to prevent further clashes, and to
inform each side’s patrols.“

What happened was not on purpose. Founding this liaison has the potential to avoid further
problems,” said Nai Win Hla, official in charge of NMSP Home Affair Department.