Junta

Junta's Operation Against Shans On the Rocks

The two week long preparations to launch attacks against the Shan States Army of Yawdserk along the Thai border was believed to have ended last week, after troops concentrating near the border quietly withdrew, reported S.H.A.N sources from the border yesterday.

The projected operation, which was reported to have begun due to the death of a favorite officer on 29 August in Mongton Township, Mongsart District, appeared to have lost steam two weeks after its launching on 9 September, said the informed sources.

One reporter from Fang informed S.H.A.N on 20 September: " There are commands and countermands with regards to whether they should launch an attack just because a favorite son was killed in action." ( Ref: Junta Preparing a Big Offensive Against Shans, 21 September 1999)

A retired Shan commander commented that it was a bizarre operation that departed from the junta's well-known modus operandi. " In the past, they liked to bring in the non-local units, make a forced march during the night to the target area, and attack as soon as dawn broke," said he. " They always tried to observe the main element for victory: surprise."

Yawdserk, asked by S.H.A.N during the closing ceremony of the leadership training course on 1 October, said he was convinced the Burmese troops was not going to attack, after reading reports of Burma Army's movements for a few days.

Some sources believed it was only a diversion for the junta's other units to occupy and consolidate their positions along the projected Salween Dam area, which is between Mongton Township on the eastern bank and Mongpan Township on the western.