Briefs

Briefs

Accident for another ceasefire leader 

Col Gunyawd, on his way to the Union Day celebrations in Rangoon, was seriously injured when his car overturned in Sinku township near Mandalay on 10 February according to a source close to the group. S.H.A.N. is till enquiring for more details.

Gunyawd, 39, serves as General Secretary to three organizations: the Shan State National Army, Shan State Peace Council (with Shan State Army 'North') and Joint Action Committee (with SSA 'N' and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy).

Burmese commander wants Thailand to rein in its media

During an ad hoc meeting with Thai officials yesterday (12 February 2002) at the Tachilek townhall, Brig-Gen Chit Than, Commander of the Triangle Region (eastern Shan State) was reported to have requested two things among others: one, to support its upcoming offensive against 'terrorists' along the border and two, to stop the media from releasing 'damaging' reports.

The Thai response was not known. Thailand's Third Army commander, his counterpart, was not reported as participating in the meeting, although he was on an inspection trip along the northern border.

TV Channel 7 had covered the Shan raid on the Burmese outpost opposite Chiangrai where 50,000 pills of Yaba (methamphetamines) were seized.

One Wei gets transferred

Wei Hsaitang a.k.a. Ta Htang, commander of the Wa force in Mongyawn, was ordered by Panghsang high command to return to take over the 916th Brigade following General Khin Nyunt's visit to the Wa areas, 17-19 January.
The new commander for his 894th Brigade in Mongyawn is Ta Leu, a relatively unknown officer.

It was reported by border watchers that Col. Soe Myint, Commander of the Military Operations Command in Tachilek, had submitted a report to Gen Khin Nyunt of Wei's alleged offenses, among which were printing of Burmese counterfeit paper currency and the refusal to move out from Mongyawn as demanded by Rangoon.

Watchers believed dissatisfaction resulting from Wei's transfer was the cause of the shootings in the Burmese outpost of Doilang, opposite Mae Ai District, Chiangmai province on Sunday (10 February 2002) when 7-8 soldiers were killed and 3 wounded.