Clashes in the Ta’ang region, also known as Palaung, of northern Shan State are due to increased militarisation around the Chinese Shwe gas pipeline project, according to the Palaung Women’s Organisation.

The Palaung Women’s Organisation (PWO) held a press conference to discuss its report titled ‘Neglected Conflicts’ in Yangon yesterday which highlights military re-enforcements around government projects and increase in opium production in the region.

“These days there are more army troops along the gas pipeline and more are found to have moved to the areas where the ethnic armed groups are stationed,” said Lway Po Ngwe, joint secretary of the PWO.

According to the report, 16 government army units have been deployed in Palaung areas, increasing the total to 32 in 2013. The extended army deployments are linked to maintaining security around government projects in ethnic areas, including Shwe oil and gas project, which started sending gas to China in July last year.

Clashes between the army and ethic armed groups have been reoccurring in the Palaung region since March 2011 despite government efforts to bring about a nation-wide a ceasefire.

According to the data collected by the organisation, about 4,300 people are living in eight refugee camps and more than 3,000 of them come from the Palaung ethnic group.

“Over the past few years, the army has extended its troops. The reason might be for the gas pipeline. Around 2012 and 2013, there had been more army troops, according to their policy that Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the main ethnic armed group in the region, must be wiped out,” said Di Di Poe Sae, general secretary of PWO.

The paper also said that the China National Oil Corporation started laying pipelines in northern Shan State in 2011 and sending gas to China in June 2013 despite concerns from local people over land compensation and gas leaks.

In an interview with the Voice of America, an official from Ta’ang Students and Youth Organisation (TSYO) said the Chinese companies working along the pipeline project had not rendered any education and health assistance to the local people.

“According to the data we have collected, the pipelines run through Kyaukme, Hispaw, Namtu and Nanhkan. We haven’t seen any education and health aid coming. But there is little assistance in Nanhkan,” said Mong Shein Tun, a member of TSYO’s central executive committee.

Previously, Palaung region was famous for tea growing. The tea market got wiped out after illegal tea imports started coming in from China pushing local farmers to start growing opium.

More than 90 percent of Palaung youths are becoming addicted to opium, according to PWO, who said that the government are even giving protection to poppy plantations in the region.

A top official from the TNLA, which has yet to make ceasefire with the government, described the destruction of the poppy plantations as a sham and said the opium production had not decreased.