Yawdserk can go

Yawdserk can go, but we will not, say defiant Shans

Politics

Following orders from Bangkok to the Thai army to 'play hard ball' with the Karen and Shan rebels reportedly to bring them to the negotiating table with Rangoon, a number of Shan State Army commanders said they would continue to keep their arms. 

"Chairman Yawdserk, if he thinks he's had enough of it all, can surrender," said one of his top commanders this morning. "But many officers and I have resolved that we will never submit to any pressure by anybody to lay down our arms." 

"We didn't start this war," he argued. "We have only been defending our land and rights against the aggressors. It would therefore be wishful thinking on the part of those who say this war will come to an end by our surrender." 

The current confusion arose when Gen Thammarak Issangkura na Ayuddhya, Thailand's defense minister, made a surprising announcement that he had instructed the Third Army to 'give a hard time' to the rebels. "We felt perplexed", said one Thai security officer, "because the order came right after the Shans and their allies released their official commuique welcoming the prime minister's overture (on 10 February to act as a mediator between Rangoon and the ethnic rebels). 

The joint statement by Karen National Union, Restoration Council of Shan State (the SSA's political wing) and their three other allies, namely, Karenni National Progress Party, Arakan Liberation Party and Chin National Front on 25 February, also declared their desire that the venue should be in a neutral country and that they would meet Rangoon's delegation together. 

"The rebels' demands rising out of their concerns were understandable and we naturally thought our superiors would be happy," the officer continued. "So we were completely caught off guard when the defense minister responded by ordering the army to get tough with them instead. It has put many of us in doubt whether it was for the rebels' total submission, and not for their coming to the peace talks, that he had agreed with Rangoon in the first place." 

Thaksin Shinawatra was in Rangoon on a 2-day visit last month, 9-10 February. 

Thailand's pressure plus sanctions had contributed to the Mon ceasefire agreement in 1995 and warlord Khun Sa's surrender a year later. 

The Shan State Army 'South' led by Col Yawdserk fields 8 'brigades' and 3 mobile columns. It is active in southern and eastern Shan State, where most of the human rights abuses by the army are taking place.