No.22 - 12/2005
29 December 2005

War

Curfew for northern township follows rout

Namhkam, one of Shan State's northernmost townships bordering China, has been under curfew since a Burma Army patrol was put to rout by Shan State Army 'South' column on Tuesday, 27 December, according to sources from the border:

Brig-Gen Hla Myint, deputy to Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing, Commander of the Northeastern Region Command, has taken over the job of repelling the SSA-South from the Hsenwi-based Military Operation Management Command #16's Brig-Gen Soe Oo, who received a thorough dressing-down from Myint Hlaing for failure to deal with the rebels effectively.

The Army reportedly lost nearly 10 men during the clash near Mangpu, a Palaung village between Namkham and Mongwi (see map), according to locals.

All boats in the township have been ordered to anchor up at Ta Manhawng, a ferry crossing north of the township seat at six in the evening to be picked up at seven in the morning, in order to prevent the SSA troops from using them. "The Burma Army fears the SSA is going to operate on the border areas north of the Mao (Shweli River)," comments a border watcher in Chiangmai.

The 124 square kilometer enclave used to be under the Communist Party of Burma and later the Shan State Army 'North', the group that is still in truce with Rangoon.

The non-ceasefire SSA-South had moved up to fill in the areas vacated by the SSA-North in September by the order of the Burma Army. The SSA-South forces are commanded by Khun Kyaw aka Than Gyaung, 40, a native of Moenyin (Mongyang in Shan) and a former All Burma Students Democratic Front leader. He is known as one of the SSA-South's 'fightingest' commanders and had most recently taken part in the successful defense of the group's main base Loi Taileng against the joint Wa-Burma Army offensive.

The SSA-South itself has declined to explain why its troops are in the farthest north of Shan State. "This is Shan State," said an officer who asks not to named. "Obviously we are not up here on picnic."

Following the fight on Tuesday, villagers in the township have been instructed by the Burma Army to avoid using forest trails, to timely report on overnight stay guests and supply the army with youths as scouts. "After the ceasefire (in 1989) and before Mangpu, the Army had never asked for guides," explained a resident. "This is the first time in 16 years."