News Brief

News Brief

Reporter: Saeng Khao Haeng

1. Hanging Than Shwe

One day in the first week of August, a meeting of village headmen was called by the Township Peace and Development Council chairman, who ordered that a photograph of Senior General Than Shwe in a frame be hung at their respective offices within 20 days, and that the photograph, size 12x18 square inches, price K. 3,000 be purchased from the local branches of the Information and Public Relations Ministry. Also each office had to be decorated with the national flag, as approved by the SPDC. Those that failed to meet the deadline were threatened with dire punishment. 

Observers say the move must have something to do with the long-expected upcoming reshuffle within the ruling elite. 

2. Officer promoted for corruption

Col Soe Yi, Commander, Military Operations Command, well known for his "insatiable appetite" for kickbacks from gambling dens, drug transactions and black-marketeering, was supposed to have been on the transfer list after he got into trouble not only with the local people but also with fellow officers, but it was learned lately that he was not only allowed to stay put in Muse but also promoted to brigadier general.

3. People forced to work in police farm 

Since 8 June, people in Mansi township, where Shan State, Kachin State and Yunnan Province meet, have been working without compensation in the local police service welfare paddy fields. .

Villagers from Nawnglom were assigned to sow paddy seeds, while those from Nawnglook, Nawngmon, Hpazang, Namhi, Nawngzawn, Pangkham and Manwiang took turns to plow the fields. For the plowers, there were buffaloes at K.600 each and Tolajis (farm tractors) at K.4,600 each for rent.

Meanwhile, local policemen also took turns not only to keep a close watch on the forced "volunteers," but also to collect tax from the passing vehicles.

4. Poppy fields forever in the North

The year 2000's significance is that thousands of acres of poppy fields are thriving in hitherto poppy-shy areas in Kutkhai, Muse and Namkham townships in the north.

Growers in the neighboring Kachin State are also moving towards Namkham township in the Shan State where poppy cultivation is tolerated by the local military authorities. 

The incentive appears to be the price of opium that has been going up as high as K.270,000 (roughly the equivalent of B.27,000).

5. Chinese return Burmese illegals 

On 16 August, TV Ruili (opposite Muse of Shan State) reported police and narcotics officials handing over 133 Burmese illegals to their counterparts in Burma. It was not reported by Rangoon, however.

A Chinese official told S.H.A.N., "It is a tiresome job, because for one thing, these people keep coming back within a few days of their deportation, and for another, the Burmese authorities usually refuse to accept them, saying these people don't carry any identifications, and, as a result, they are not sure about their country of origin."