Shan Leader 53 Today

Shan Leader 53 Today: 

From Ladykiller to Diplomat 

A leader of a Shan movement turns 53 today. Sao Wansai a.k.a Sai Myo Win, Vice President-2 of the Shan Democratic Union and Ambassador of Shan States, is 53 on this day, 31 October. 

He was born in 1946 in Kyaukme, Northern Shan States. The sixth and the youngest child, his mother died while he was still in his infancy and was brought up by his elder sisters. 

He went to school at the Guardian Angles' Convent High in Lashio. In 1969, he received a bachelor degree in Geography from Mandalay Arts and Science University. 

In 1979, he landed in Germany, where he has lived to this day. 

"I'm involved in politics only through my brother", is a favorite saying of his. But his record showes his involvement in politics even before Khuensai, ("Actually his cousin but never say it to his face", says his close friends) was still dallying with his dream of becoming a song-cum-novel writer. 

In 1962, he was in the Tai Youth movement with Noel a.k.a Khun Htoon Oo, the leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy today. 

From 1966 to 1969, he was up to his neck in a student underground political movement for which he was detained briefly in 1969. 

Outwardly, he was a happy-go-lucky guy, pampered by his sisters, brothers and friends. Handsome, he had no difficulty finding a female admirer. 

Three years ago, he co-founded Shan Democratic Union. As Shan ambassador, he has attended several international conferences. A paper he presented last year on the Right of Secession was admired by many, including Jose Ramos Horta, the Nobel Peace Prize winner from East Timor. 

He lives with his wife, Orn-udom, and two children near Hamburg.