KHWAN MONG AN INDESPENSABLE POLITICIAN

KHWAN MONG AN INDESPENSABLE POLITICIAN

Born in Pyu, a town in Pegu Division, Southern Burma, from Shan parents, Khwan Mong was bred and brought up outside Shan State. He enrolled in Rangoon University and graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science at the age of 22. At school, he was active in the "Five Horses Movement" a Shan version of the three-R literacy effort, led by students with the aim of teaching Shan to Shans who were being increasingly Burmanized. 

He came to the Shan State in 1969, taught for a few months in Mong Yai, and led his students to join the Shan State Army, then the most popular Shan armed movement. He rose up rapidly as a political officer. It was together with Zarmmai, the leader of the Shan State Army, who led their army to join with the Shan United Revolutionary Army to form the Mong Tai Army in 1985. 

Shy and genial most of the time, he is also known for his sudden unaccountable dark moods. God help anyone who is unfortunate enough to find themselves at the receiving end of one of his fits of anger. As one of his close friends jovially remarked, one needs to consult a "yarm-ha-ta" (the traditional way of selecting an auspicious time for doing things) before deciding to meet him. 

He has been most well-known for his ability to explain difficult ideas and situations in a simplified and easy-to-understand fashion. Predictably, it was he together with the Chief of Staff of the Army, Falang, who introduced the reform program to the Movement after the June mutiny took the whole country by surprise. 

It still remains to be seen how much the central Executive Committee, in which he holds the post of Secretary General will succeed. But by the look of things as yet no armed clashes, and with people from all walks of life trying to prevent bloodshed and pressuring both sides to come to terms he seems to be doing well.