No.2 - 02/2006
3 February 2006

War

SSA claims to have killed, maimed 9,500 junta troops

A 62-page report by the leader of the anti-Rangoon Shan State Army faction has claimed to have killed and wounded 9,571 Burma Army troops during the past ten years.

The cover of Ten Years of Non-Submission shows officers who have been with Col Yawdserk since 27 January 1996 when he "re-raised" the banner of resistance:   Back row- Maj Khurh Piu, Lt-Col Yawdfa, Chairman Yawd Serk, Maj Tern Khurh   Front row- Lt Kawwi, Captain Yama, Lt Muni, Maj Kheofa

The report, in Shan, titled Ten Years of Non-Submission, gives the reader the following statistics, compiled between 1996-2005:

Number of clashes       1,319

It also maintained that of the 29 anti-narcotic operations launched by its troops, where it seized 9 kg of opium, 53 kg of heroin and 2,465,377 pills of yaba (methamphetamine) among others, 15 of them were against drug traffickers operating under the protection of the Burma Army.

Rangoon, in turn, has dubbed the SSA's leader Col Yawdserk as "Druglord" at its press conference held in Lashio on 17 January.

Nowhere in the report is there any mention of its strength, but its basic and officers trainings since 1999 were said to have produced 3,009 new fighters and 916 officers.