SLORC SOLDIERS BENEFIT FROM DRUGS

SLORC SOLDIERS BENEFIT FROM DRUGS

On July 6, 1995, about 40 Chinese military police from Ruili in China sneaked across the border and into the market-place of Mong Paw, a large village about 18 miles from the border, and snatched away one of the Kokang trade affairs senior officers together with over 70 kg of heroin. 

In Mong Paw there is a SLORC military outpost with 40-50 men from No.195 Light Infantry over 1 mile to the south, and about 1 mile to the north is the Kokang military base, 4-500 strong. There are two market-places, 4-5 miles apart, on both the southern and northern sides of the village. The northern market is where members of the PDF (Peace and Democracy Front), which consists of Kokang, USWA and KDA do business. The southern one is run by SLORC for the general public. People only go to their respective market, they never go to the other. 

It is said that before the Chinese military police came to arrest the men, they gathered information about him and sent it to the Burmese abuthorities asking them to take action or else they would have to act on their own. The Burmese has secretly assented to the latter potion. 

Since the Burmese are getting bribe money regularly from the Kokang traders, they never go near the PDF marketplace, let alone arrest any of them. The Burmese had to comply to the Chinese request because the Chinese had gathered information by themselves. The Kokang also have to depend on China in many respects and could say nothing except put all the blame on the unfortunate man.