Authorities in both countries have been unable so far to settle the issue of encroachment, said Sai Hla Pe, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) in northern Shan state, pointing to frequent incidents in Pansai, Pangkham, and the Naung Mon areas of Muse.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have gone to these places to see for ourselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem should be solved between the two governments, because we can\u2019t do anything about this on our own. We can only report to the authorities on the results of our investigations in the field,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Charges of encroachment by China have also been made by villagers in Kachin state, where one resident said a 20-foot-tall, 500-foot-long fence was put up between Waingmaw and Kanpaiti townships during the last week of July.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obvious that they are doing whatever they want in the uninhabited areas of Myanmar,\u201d Zay Jones, a resident of Kanpaiti, said. \u201cThey are expanding into our country, and no one says anything about it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see barbed wire fences on the mountains from Kanpaiti. No one knows for sure whether these mountains are in Myanmar or in China, but we know [the fences] are on the Myanmar side.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Chinese just put up fences wherever they want,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Local residents said that Kanpaiti township officials have sent a letter of protest to Chinese officials on the other side, but that no replies have been received.<\/p>\n
Local officials in Shan state\u2019s Muse district conduct field inspections and \u201csend objections to the relevant Chinese departments when problems occur,\" an official from the district's administration department said, also speaking on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
\"And if there is a violation of an agreement we signed earlier, we will send a letter of protest and report the situation to higher authorities,\u201d the official said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some places where we have found a definite encroachment, they have had to pull it down, and in other places we have had to consult with joint inspection teams from both sides. But because of COVID, this isn\u2019t happening at present,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 'China may have reached an understanding'<\/strong><\/p>\n In Kachin state, the Chinese border lies mostly along areas controlled by the ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and almost all of it has been fenced off by China, local sources said. China has been building new fences since July near the remote mountain town of Laiza and in other places, they added.<\/p>\n China may be prioritizing the building of fences in these areas to stop refugees entering China because of concerns over the political situation in Myanmar nine months after a Feb. 1 military coup overthrew the country\u2019s elected civilian government, sparking widespread protests and fighting.<\/p>\n \u201cChina may have reached an understanding with the ethnic armed groups,\u201d said Than Soe Naing, an analyst of ethnic affairs in Myanmar.<\/p>\n \u201cThus, we see today that new fences are being set up, especially in areas where there are clashes between junta forces and local militias who are trying to stop [central government] incursions into their land,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Attempts to reach Myanmar\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n China\u2019s embassy in Myanmar in an email to RFA\u2019s Myanmar Service on Monday called the construction of border fences \u201ca common practice in many countries to strengthen border management.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe fences will not enter Myanmar territory,\u201d the embassy said.<\/p>\n \u201cChina and Myanmar have been in close communication on this issue and hope the media can report it objectively.\u201d<\/p>\n Reported by RFA\u2019s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Richard Finney.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n \n![\"myanmar-fencing-110121.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.rfa.org\/english\/news\/myanmar\/fences-11012021193715.html\/myanmar-fencing-110121.jpg\/@@images\/09dc2c25-b067-4ea7-bdca-e064a0a4fde9.jpeg\" "\\"myanmar-fencing-110121.jpg\\"\/")
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\r\nThis content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia<\/a> and was authored by Radio Free Asia.
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