Briefs

Briefs

Ceasefire leader hospitalized in China

Sai Luen a.k.a. Lin Mingxian, 52, leader of Special Region #4, Mongla, 100-km northeast of Kengtung, was, on 28 October, rushed to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan after he suffered a massive stroke for the second time during three years, said a source from a ceasefire group. 

He was dubbed by Burma expert Bertil Lintner as "the new lord of the Golden Triangle" in 1994. Three years after, however, he declared his domain a drug-free zone. 

"Things are being taken care of in his absence by his deputy, Zhang Zhiming (a.k.a. Kyi Myint)", said the source. 
For more information about Lin, please visit http://www.shanland.org, "Star Ceasefire Group raising tax rates," 29 August 2000. 

Update (15 November) 

One 6 November, former Commander of Brigade 369 recently appointed as Vice Chairman of the group, Sanglu and former deputy commander Maj. Zai Pieng were summoned to Mongla. Kham Mawng, an Akha officer, succeeded Sanglu as the brigade commander.

Development of Wa threatens Shan existence? 

Thailand's 20 million baht project to develop the Wa controlled area in Monghsat township will not be in Mongyawn, opposite Mae Ai District of Chiangmai, but in Mongtoom, opposite Mae Fa Luang District of Chiangrai, according to a highly-placed Thai source. 

As Mongtoom together with its twin village tract, Mongkarn, is a contested area between Burmese-Wa forces and the Shan State Army, where the battle of Pangnoon was fought out between Thailand and Burma in February, the project could spell a death-knell to the Shan forces nearby, said an observer. 

"It's called killing two birds with one stone," he said. 

According to the Thai source, Rangoon had especially requested that the development project site be Mongtoom and not Mongyawn, as originally planned. 

Update: 30 November 2001

The project will be led by an official close to the royal family. The move is just political i.e. image-building, nothing more, remarked a source close to the Thai army. One observer wondered whether the Thai government was paying ransom for the abduction of 7 Thai officials, 27 July-2 August. 

Shan State Army broadcasting station goes on air

Col Khurh-ngern, Chief of Staff of the Shan State Army, called S.H.A.N. yesterday (14 November) to announce that SSA station had, since that morning, begun broadcasting in Shan, three times a day. 

Listeners can tune in to 41-meter band, Short Wave-2, from 09:00 - 10:00, 12:00-13:00 and 18:00-19:00, he said.