Wei Number Two and a Half in Panghsang

Drugs

Wei Number Two and a Half in Panghsang

Reporter: Hawkeye
 

Wei Hsuehkang

Li Ziru

Wei Hsuehkang, Wa chieftain wanted both in Thailand and the United States on drug charges, is known as No.2 and a half in the Wa capital of Panghsang on the Chinese border, according to sources close to the Wa:

There are ten officials considered most powerful in the Wa hierarchy and Wei is deemed almost as powerful as its No. 2 man, Xiao Minliang, 59, Vice Chairman to Bao Youxiang, Chairman of the Wa ruling body. "He has certainly more say in the Wa affairs than Ai Lone, 56, Chief of Staff of the United Wa State Army, the official Number Three man," said the source who does regular business with the Wa.

Wei's name has never been mentioned by Panghsang in public since 1999, the year which marked the tenth anniversary the Wa's historic truce pact with Rangoon, but according to the US drug agency, the 59-year old drug fugitive with a $ 2 million offer for reward on his head, is serving as a "special advisor" to the Wa Central Committee. Others have also dubbed him as the "Wa's remote control." (A press release by the 171st Military Region, dated 4 April 2003, named its commander as Weir Sheah Kain.)

The others on Top Ten are Zhao Zhongtang (son-in-law of Pa-O leader Taklay); Bao Youri, Bao's elder brother who is also on the US indictment list; Bao Huachiang, 48, another on the same list; Zhao Wenguang, 55; Zhao Wenxing, 46, deputy Chief of Staff; and Li Chengwu, a Kokang Chinese who currently serves as Bao's military adviser and is considered a hard liner against Rangoon's ongoing campaign to disarm the ceasefire groups.

Another vice chairman, Bo Lakham, 60, who speaks and writes fluent Shan, is regarded by most as a mere figurehead. He knows no Burmese, but has headed the Wa delegations to the two previous sessions of the National Convention and was appointed as one of its co-chairmen in the Other Invited Guests group, the majority of whose delegates were from the ceasefire armies.

The new unofficial line-up, sources say, is not much to the liking of the Wa's principal patron across the border. "Since last year China had lost two of its greatest friends in Burma: Gen Khin Nyunt in October and Li Ziru (the UWSA's second in command, a Chinese who had fought with the Wa) in January", said one. "The present leadership appears to be less closer to the Chinese authorities in Yunnan."

Burma's former military intelligence chief, Gen Tin Oo, Gen Khin Nyunt's predecessor, used to be known as Number One and a Half. Number One was Gen Ne Win and Number Two Gen San Yu, his deputy.