Ceasefire leader takes leave amid crisis

Politics

Ceasefire leader takes leave amid crisis

Reporter: Pegasus

Sai Leun a.k.a Lin Mingxian, leader of Mongla, has taken sick leave for the third time since 2001 when he suffered the first attack from a massive stroke that had left him paralysed for months.

Mongla, opposite Daluo (Talaw in Shan) of Yunnan and 87 miles northeast of Kengtung, the capital of eastern Shan State, has since late December been undergoing a series of "Made in China" difficulties: electricity power shutdown, restrictions on Chinese citizens visiting its 3 plush casinos and now the possibility of being cut off from China-based telephone lines by 31 March.

Lin's domain, officially designated as Shan State Special Region #4 by Rangoon and National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State by his group, and enjoys 350,000 tourists and $ 10 million revenue annually, according to its own figures, had already been hit hard once by a six-month border closure in 2003 brought about by Beijing's replacement of paramilitary border police force with regular troops.

Sai Leun, who had resumed his leadership just a year ago, was reported to have relegated the job to his second-in-command, Hkun Hsanglu, a local Shan at a meeting a few days before the latter departed for Rangoon to attend the National Convention that was reconvened on 17 February. "But everyone knows the real power is in the hands of Lin's trusted lieutenants Tin Shwe, Min Ein, Kyi Myint (Zhang Zhiming)and Htein Lin (Lao Erh)," said an insider source.

The power switch-off from China has already resulted in the city's localities getting electricity on rotation just like the rest of Burma.

Lin Mingxian, 59, is a native of northern Shan State's Panghsai, opposite Yunnan's Wanting. He was a communist commander in the area until he, together with other former pro-communist groups, concluded ceasefire pacts with Rangoon in 1989. The reason for his sudden "retirement" is not known. "He doesn't look as bad as he was two years ago," commented a source who recently met him.

Update: 4 March 2005

Panghsang, the Wa capital, with a hydropower plant, does not have such problem. It even sells electricity to its twin towns in China. (Pegasus)