Big Power Play in the Wa Region:

[shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

20 August 1999 

Big Power Play in the Wa Region

Sources claim Was are just pawns of chess which is being played by the bigger
powers around them. 

Was, once known as vicious head-hunters and, at present, as the biggest drug
pushers, are in fact mere puppets for Burma, Thailand, China and Taiwan,
especially the latter two, said sources close to the Wa controlled areas.
"Both
of their areas, Pangsang in the north and Mongyawn in the south, are crowded
with Burmese outposts and garrisons, Thai businessmen and workers and Chinese
and Taiwanese who are there with any handy excuses", said one source. 

One source reported to S.H.A.N. he saw on 15 August several Chinese, about
70 -
100 of them, in two six-wheeled trucks on his way from Kengtung to Tachilek.
"They drivers said they were going to Mongyawn", said the source, "And that
hundreds of them are filling up the area of Mongyawn day by day". Fours days
earlier another source reported S.H.A.N of meeting a group of 200 Wa and
Chinese, who were traveling from Pangsang to Mongyawn. Altogether a
thousand of
them would be coming down between August and September. 

It has become a matter of concern for observers when it was reported recently
that the Wa leadership in Pangsang has applied to the military government for
the inclusion of Mongton and Mongsart townships in the Wa autonomous region.
Both of the townships are located a long Thailand's northern most border. The
Was had already won agreement from Rangoon to incorporate six townships in the
north in their domain. These townships are established along the Chinese
border. 

An atmosphere of cool relationship exists between Wie Hsueh-kang, who is
wanted
by the US and Thai authorities, and the rest of the United Wa State Army
that he
had a hand in building up. 

Wei, who left Khun Sa in 1985 to form the Wa National Council with Ai
Hsiao-sir,
an ex-militia and ex-Kuomintang commander, had reportedly sent B. 40
million to
Pangsang in 1989, when the newly established leadership there, after
ousting the
Burman leadership of the Communist Party of Burma, were facing a financial
crisis. He was rewarded by becoming the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern
Command. "The good old days are now over", said a source. "Wei now commands
only
his original group, the 171th Brigade in Banhoong (northeast of Mongyawn,
where
the Southern Command headquarters). 

"He has a Chinese language school for the 500 boys who are under his care. The
school was set up with Taiwanese assistance. And the kids salute to the
portrait of Chiang Kai-shek, and not Mao Zedung, like the rest of the UWSA is
doing". 

"Also Wei enjoys an extra-special status in the junta-controlled areas. While
the other Wa leaders have to report their visits to the junta authorities, Wei
doesn't have to. He can go anywhere he likes at any time and with any
number of
heavily armed guards". 

Another source agreed. "One other reason for this tense relationship is the $2
million reward issued by the United States for Wei. The Pangsang leadership
thought they had to distance itself away from him in order to obtain
assistance
and, more importantly, recognition from the international community". 

"The next is that Pangsang no longer has to depend on Wei for their finances.
They are already fairly well-off now", added the source. 

Another source concluded that a war between the two could very much rested on
the Sino-Taiwanese relations, which is currently getting explosive after
President Li Teng-hui of Taiwan spoke of a bi-lateral relations on a
state-to-state basis. 

/// END \\\ 
For further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at: 
Shan Herald Agency for News. 
P.O. Box. 15 
Nonghoi P.O., 50007 
Chiangmai 
Thailand 
Ph/Fax: (053) 807 121 
e-mail: <shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>