Junta plays good cop-bad cop

Politics

Junta plays good cop-bad cop

The Burma Army's regional commanders in Shan State are trying to woo back the Shan ceasefire group that had suddenly decamped with all of its 2,000 strong fighters on 9 April, following official notice that they would have to surrender, according to ceasefire sources:

Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing, Commander of Lashio-based Northeastern Region Command, whose message had prompted the Shan State National Army leader Col Sai Yi to depart to his Loikhurh mountain fortress, had reportedly summoned the SSNA's ally, Shan State Army "North"s leader Maj-Gen Loimao to another meeting to ask him to mediate. They had already met once soon after Sai Yi's ignominious leave taking.

Meanwhile, representatives from the SSA 'North' in Taunggyi were informed by Maj-Gen Khin Maung Myint, Commander of the Eastern Region Command, that Sai Yi could move his forces down to his domain in Southern Shan State if he thought he could not live under Myint Hlaing.

"Khin Maung Myint is supposed to be a softliner, as opposed to Myint Hlaing," said a former SSA leader.

The SSNA is facing a tough decision, he added. "They want to settle things peaceably, but they know they can't expect a square deal from Myint Hlaing."

Col Yawdserk, Sai Yi's boyhood friend and the leader of the anti-Rangoon SSA "South", who has been expecting a joyful reunion is just about out of patience. "What the Burmese generals have done to him (forcing him to surrender) was just a curtain raiser for more to come," he told S.H.A.N. "They are simply not going to stop with him.

"People have applauded his firmness and welcomed him with open arms when he left Khaihsim (former headquarters of the SSNA in Hsipaw township). He'll therefore be making the biggest mistake of his life if he decides to return to those who are asking to 'rub his back after knocking his head'".

It has been his cherished wish to be reunited with his old friend, Yawdserk claims. "Of course, I cannot offer him a rosy life," he said, "only that it will be one that is worthy for all of us."

Sai Yi, 48, a native of Panglong, where the union treaty was signed in 1947, joined the resistance in 1976 together with Yawdserk. Both of them rose to become intrepid fighters and able tacticians. In 1995, Sai Yi joined hands with Gunyawd, another childhood friend, to mutiny against Khun Sa and set up the SSNA. Following Khun Sa's surrender a year later, Yawdserk assembled all the fighters that had refused to give up the fight and formed a new group that became the SSA "South".

Shan State is administratively divided into 3 divisions:
Northern, Southern and Eastern. But militarily, they are called Northeastern, Eastern and Triangle region commands respectively.