Briefs

Briefs

Crackdown on the Chinese border - on motor vehicles

On 22 September, Maj-Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo, Commander , Northeastern Regional Command, arrived in Muse, opposite Ruili of Yunnan.

Following his orders, the local administration led by Captain Ant Maung, Township Peace and Development Council Chairman, erected a checkpoint on 25 September in front of Yahtike Company building in Kawngmu Loi Quarters stopping every vehicle that passed through.

Vehicles that failed to show ownership licences were confiscated and motorists without driver's licences were fined K 10,000. Altogether more than 60 motorcycles were seized and sent down to Lashio, where General Tin Aung Myint Oo head-quartered.

The reason for the unexpected action was not disclosed although Muse is known to have a huge number of all kinds of motor transports.

Pop singer in Chiangmai again

Hsaimao the singer who had ignited the craze for Shan songs since 1970, is now back in Chiangmai for the Awk-wa (Awk-phansa in Thai), the ceremony marking the end of annual Buddhist Lent, from Tachilek.

He has already been performing at Papao Shan monastery for the past two consecutive nights.

Levying teakwood in teakless area

On 17 August Maj Tin Maung Htoo, Deputy Commander, LIB 516 (Namzang), led a 37-men strong patrol to Wanzing, a Kunhing Township, and demanded 3 tons of teakwood from the villagers, reported sources from the area.

When the village elders informed him there were no teak trees in the area, he insisted that they paid him K. 210,000 instead or face punishments. "he prevailed, as usual," said the report.

The patrol also took 50 viss (1 viss=1.6 kg) of chicken, 5 pairs of canvas shoes and 13 sacks of peanuts from the surrounding villages. A village woman, Nang La, 26 (Parents Htoon and Nang) with two children, was also reported raped.

Another patrol from LIB 505 (Namlan) was also there, forcibly purchasing 520 viss of peanuts at K. 250 per viss.

The market price is K. 450.