.Report Date: 18 April , 2011

Dear friends,

The following is an update on the fighting between the Burma Army and the Shan State Army-North. We have no FBR teams currently in that area and this report is compiled for your general information from local Shan friends and contacts as well as reports on the Irrawaddy and SHAN web sites.

The Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) had a ceasefire with the Burma Army but recently refused the Burma regime’s new government’s offer to become a Border Guard Force (BGF) under tighter control of the Burma Army. As a result of this refusal to accommodate the regime, fighting broke out on March 13 between the SSA-N and the Burma Army. According to sources listed on the Irrawaddy website, 65 battles took place in Shan State between March 13 and April 6 in Tang Yan, Kesi, Mong Yai, Hsipaw, Lashio and Kyaukme townships. The Burma Army initiated the fighting by attacking the headquarters of the SSA-N in Moung Hsu township with a force of 20 battalions consisting of 3,500 troops. This fighting has resulted in human rights abuses by the Burma Army soldiers as recorded by Irrawaddy News. These reported human rights abuses include: women raped, villagers tortured and killed, villages being destroyed and burnt to the ground and their property stolen.

For more specific information concerning this you may view the Irrawaddy News. SHAN documents on their website that over 100,000 people have been affected throughout Shan State since the fighting erupted on March 13.

Thank you and May God bless you,

Shan FBR teams