LNDO Interview

 During 1999-2000, thousands of Wa and Chinese kept coming continuously, by truck and also on foot. There were also many Wa soldiers coming and going.

The Wa are one of the peoples of the northern Shan State of Burma. We regard them as people of the same land as us, even though they live far away. Because of the bad roads and communications, it is difficult for us to meet them. We, living in the South, hardly ever see the people from the North. A long time ago, in our parents’ time, some Wa would pass through our way, but during the last 30 years, we didn’t see any Wa at all. To us, they seem rather intimidating. Not only children, but even adults, are afraid even at the sight of them. When I was small, when parents wanted to stop children crying, they would threaten them that the Wa would come and cut off their heads if they didn’t stop, and the children would stop immediately.

Most Wa can speak Shan well. Some leaders can speak Yunnanese Chinese fluently.

Northern Wa leader Wei Hsiao Kang, bought over 5,000 acres of the best land around Murng Hsat from the SPDC. This was land which local Shan, Lahu, Akha and Palaung had been cultivating for generations, growing rice, oranges, tea, garlic, chilllies, sugar cane. The forests, wildlife areas, spirit houses, nothing was spared. Whatever the Wa from the north wanted, they were given.

In the Mae Kyan Lahu quarters one and two, which were the Lahu and Burmese veterans’ quarters there were altogether 230 houses. In Ashor Paya (Akha) village, 60 houses, in Zulu (Akha) village, 50 houses, Ban Hoong (Shan) 200 houses, Sai Khao (Shan) 130 houses, Kaung Moo Tan (Shan) 130 houses, Ban Mai (Shan) 110 houses, Hart Ba (Shan) 23 houses; altogether 680 houses in that area, about 4,500 people, suffered from the influx of Wa new arrivals.

Apart from that, all the land in the valley between the Mae Kin and the Huay Hok streams was taken by the Wa from the north, who set up about 3 villages, or altogether over 500 households.

Not the tiniest bit of compensation was received by anyone. It was useless to complain to the SPDC authorities. And if anyone complained to the Wa authorities, they just said they had bought everything from (SPDC Secretary-1, Lt.-Gen.) Khin Nyunt. People had nowhere to turn to.

The Wa came and took the fruit and vegetables which the local people had planted. They terrified the owners by gesturing that they would cut off their heads. The older people complained that even during the time of the Japanese or the Kuomintang Chinese, things had not been as bad as this.

Wei Hsiao Kang’s battalion 801, was based in my village, Ban Hoong. There were about 2,000 families of Wa soldiers. In the army base there were also four Chinese quarters, altogether about 250 houses, about 1,000 people. These Chinese were involved in Wei’s military and economic affairs. Now Ban Hoong has become very crowded. It has become like a small Wa town, with modern buildings and even a department store.

In this area, the indigenous Lahu, Shan and Akha are now being victimized by the Wa Army and the SPDC military. Money is extorted from them, and they have to bear other abuses. Most of them cannot bear the ill treatment by the Wa newcomers, and have been leaving. Few have remained behind.