News Briefs

News Briefs

Power Shift In October?

An informed source has told S.H.A.N. that a transfer of power from the outgoing Senior General Than Shwe to General Maung Aye would probably take place sometime in October.

"The sticky point is that Maung Aye, unlike Than Shwe, is not going to be content with a dummy position", said the source. "He wants most, if not all, executive powers vested in himself." 

Mayflower Boss To Flee Burma?

U Kyaw Win, biggest shareholder both in Air Yangon and Mayflower Bank, was reported to have sold most of his shares to Wei Xuegang, well-known druglord from the United Wa State Army and boss of the Hopang Company.

He was said to have already sent his family to Singapore where he has a home. "The economy is in a shambles," he was said to have commented. "With generals scrambling over each other for power, I don't know how soon it is going to get tidied up."

General Maung Aye is reported to be one of the Mayflower Bank's patrons. 

Junta Disarming Militia Units

Col. Win Kyi, Commander, Military Operations Command, in Mongton Township sent written orders to each militia unit in the area on 2 July, instructing them to hand over their arms for registration. He said they would be returned after registration numbers had been stamped.

The number of assorted arms that were assembled at the IB 65 post was 280:

1. Mongkang (Lahu) 80 pieces

2. Maekaen (Shan) 15 pieces

3. Nakawngmu (Shan) 35 pieces

4. Nakawngmu (Lahu) 65 pieces

5. Poongpakhem (Shan) 45 pieces

6. Namhukhun (Lahu) 40 pieces

The Burmese officers complained afterwards (5 July) that they had not received all the arms from the Lahu militias and threatened to launch search raids.

Follow-up: Some of the weapons were later returned to the militia units.

Reported by: Maihoong from Mongton. 

Junta Ambushes Ceasefire Group 

On 27 June, an SPDC unit from LID 99 ambushed Shan State Army "North"'s fighters from Brigade 1 at Tawlawk village, Wan Hai Tract, Tangyan Township. A few Shan fighters were wounded. 

Burmese officers maintained later that they thought it was one of Yawdserk's southern army units.

Junta Raking Countryside For Shan Army

Since the beginning of June, units from LID 55, 99 and the local areas have been combing Nawngkhio, Hsipaw, Mongyai and Tangyan townships in an effort to bring to heel the SSA's 300-strong Brigade 241, commanded by Khun Kyaw aka Than-Gyaung, formerly of the All Burma Students Democratic Front (North).

It was also reported that 10 fighters from the SSA "North"'s Brigade 3, commanded by Col. Hsaimo, deserted to Khun Kyaw some time in June. 

Wa Kills Wa In "Horse" Frenzy

A traveler who arrived at the border on 9 July reported that 1 Wa soldier was killed and 4 wounded on the previous day, when one of the fighters, apparently in an amphetamine craze, went on a shooting rampage.

The incident occurred at Loi Htwe (Doi Thuay in Thai), where the Was had replaced the Burmese units in mid-June. 

So far its units from Division 171 are still keeping their positions at Nakawngmu, Mongkyawt, Kiu Hulom (the mountain pass into Khun Sa's former area of Mongtaw-Monghta), Loi Htwe and Nawng Hpalai, the Wa supply depot between Poongpakhem and BP-1. According to the latest report, they have yet to deploy into Mongtaw-Monghta.

Reported By: Saeng Khao Haeng