Wa Relocations Setting Off Speculations

Wa Relocations Setting Off Speculations

Ever since reports of 50,000 Wa families being moved down from the Chinese border in the north to the Thai border in the south hit the headlines, speculations have been abounding as to the reasons behind this unprecedented move.

The relocations had totally caught many Burma watchers "with their pants down." Before that many were expectantly watching for the "eventual" showdown between the warlike Was and the Rangoon junta that had been adamantly insisting that the former retreated to their universally recognized Wa land north of Kengtung.

The enthusiasm with which the Burmese military had cooperated with the Was in the forced removal of half of their total population naturally dumbfounded most people.

Both had also confused many by the announcement that they were doing it for the sake of drug eradication. "We know that there was something fishy about the whole thing," one said. "It was frustrating therefore not to be able to point out what's behind all this."

Laoyi, 68, one of the new resettlers, told S.H.A.N., "Nothing was spoken about drug eradication. They told us the trans-Salween areas were historically ours and we needed to reclaim them. And that the soil was richer than the barren hills in the north. They said they were planning to bring down 500,000 families. So we moved down here with our families although we hated to leave our homes and fields."

S.H.A.N. questioned him whether he was sure he got his figure . . "500,000 families" ... right. He replied, "That was what the officials told us."

(N.B. S.H.A.N. received a report last year about Was applying for the two townships i.e. Mongton and Monghsat to be incorporated into Waland.)

A ceasefire group officer saw the move as benefiting both the Was and the Burmese military:

"For the Was, they are not only setting up a new country for themselves but are also moving to a place that enjoys easier and shorter access to the drug markets."

"As for Rangoon," he said, "it is part of its proxy war against Thailand - - a war through drugs and Was. They are also neutralizing the Wa potential to resist them when the time comes for them to subdue the Was. Moreover, through the Was' occupation of the lands in the south, they hope to create racial tensions between the Was and Lahus and Shans, who have already been living there for hundreds of years."

An old Burma hand from Thailand, however, saw differently. He said it was part of the plan to get rid of those who opposed Chinese influence in the Wa hierarchy. Also he believed the Chinese were happy to uproot poppy farmers away from their border. Mostly, "I think it was part of the Chinese strategy to make Burma a Chinese province," he said.

On the other hand, the events are seen by him as "a silver lining in the black cloud," "a blessing in disguise," to use his own words.

"The Thais are toughening up their stance against the regime," he said. "Both the Americans and Australians are also watching it with concern."

In the meanwhile, the Was have marked out Namhoo-Naihseng, Napakao and Mawkzali in Mongton township for further resettlements reported our correspondent from Chiangdao, opposite Mongton.