Wa takes a break

War

Wa takes a break

The United State Army's renewed effort to seize Shan State Army bases was called off on the second day after more than an hour of shellings, according to Shan State Army sources:

No further "human wave" attacks were involved.

Shan commanders however were not prepared to relax their vigilance. "It is when there is a lull during the fighting we have to be on full alert, when it comes to the Wa," a veteran of the 1989-96 Doilang-Mongyawn battle said. "They might either be digging underground passages to our bases (they used to be very good at tunneling) or probe Thai defenses to look for weak spots so they can sneak in and outflank us."

"Perhaps they are also celebrating Songkran (the annual water festival that falls on 13 April)," bellowed a newsman from Maehongson who admitted he had decided to spend the day enjoying himself instead of going up to the border to watch the fighting. "By the look of it on the first day (12 April), the fight won't be over too soon."

The UWSA had taken terrible beatings, conceded a wounded Wa officer who arrived in Mongton yesterday, although he declined to give the exact figures. "At this rate of losses, it's only a matter of time when the our Wa population will be reduced to nothing," he complained.
 

The Wa are known to be great lovers of fighting. An old Shan saying that the Wa, of Mon-Khmer stock, love to repeat is: Don't make war with the Wa, Don't do business with the Chinese(because one is going to lose either way).

Old hands from the Doilang Battle however recall a running gag during the time:
"Thais are afraid of Burmans,
Burmans of Wa,
Wa of Shans,
And Shans of Thais
Who's more afraid of whom?"

The SSA reports the situation continues to be quiet along the border this morning.