Wa force expanding

Wa force expanding 

The Wa invasion
Reporter: Hawk

A source close to the United Wa State Army told S.H.A.N. yesterday the Wa division that has been taking over border security from Rangoon forces since late last year is recruiting from the resettlers coming from the north. 

Division 171, commanded by Wei Hsiaokang, has already added two new battalions to its original 6 during the last few months, and is due to add another 7 during the year 2001, said the source. (A Wa battalion, he said, is about 250 strong). 

New men are expected to be recruited from both the locals and the resettlers, roughly half of the targeted 50,000 households of whom have already arrived in Monghsat and Mongton townships, opposite Chiangmai and Chiangrai provinces. As for officers, graduates from Wei's school at Command Post 46 (near Monghsat) would be selected. 

"Wei does not trust men and officers from other units in the south, such as Division 214 of Ta Palong and Special Force of Wei Hsaitang," he said. 

Wei Hsiaokang, who is among both Thailand and the United States' wanted list on drug charges, has left the day -to-day work in the division to his younger brother, Wei Hsiaoying a.k.a. Sophol Jandi, whom Thailand has also issued an arrest warrant since 1984. 

Division 171, formerly Division 525, was formed out of former Wa fighters in the Kuomingtang forces and became part of the UWSA in 1989, following Wa mutiny against ruling Communist Party of Burma. Although its nominal commander and "Political Commissar of Southern Wa" was Ai Hsiao-xi, Wei Hsiaokang was already handling the real job since then, according to several sources. 

Pao Yuyi, elder brother to Pao Yuqiang, present Wa leader, succeeded Ai later. But he has not been successful in handling Wei Hsiaokang and his rival, Wei Hsaitang. Panghsang, the Wa capital, next tried to straighten things out by summoning Wei Hsiaokang to the north who refused. 

"Considering everything, Yawdserk's peace initiative will be at best a trying job until Panghsang has put its house in order," he concluded.