BurmaNet News: January 10, 2000

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

---------------- The BurmaNet News ----------------
January 10, 2000
Issue # 1436
----------------------------------------------------

Noted in passing:

==========
HEADLINES:
==========


International-
 BANGKOK POST: DRUG LORDS AT THE GATES
 BANGKOK POST: GIRL HELD FOR DEBT
 BANGKOK POST: INDIA TO HELP BURMA
 BANGKOK POST: MESSAGE TO THE JUNTA
 THE SANGAI EXPRESS: INDIA AND MYANMAR ALL SET TO CHECK 
 DRUG TRAFFICKING


***********************************************

DRUG LORDS AT THE GATES
9.1.2000/BANGKOK POST/PERSPECTIVE
SURATH JINAKUL AND PRASONG CHARASDAMRONG

DRUG TRAFFICKING: HAVING MADE THEIR PEACE WITH RANGOON, BATTLE
HARDENED BURMESE ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE REDIRECTED THEIR MILITARISTIC
MIGHT TO THE HIGHLY LUCRATIVE DRUG TRAFFICKING BUSINESS. NOW IT'S
THAILAND'S TURN TO FACE THE FIRING LINE.

On the morning of September 23, while on  foot patrol at Huey Ban
Ta  in the Mae Sao subdistrict of Chiang Mai's Mae Ai district,
Border Patrol police agents of the Narcotics Suppression
Operation Centre suddenly found themselves face to face with an
unidentified band of armed men.

The mountainous area is a known heroin-amphetamine trafficking
route used by the United Wa State Army.

At exactly 6:15 a.m., the border police opened fire at the armed
caravan. In less than 10 minutes, the Wa soldiers started to
retreat, leaving behind three dead bodies, AK-47 machine guns,
400 scattered amphetamine tablets and 90,060 baht.

Suddenly, another burst of gunfire from the jungle hit the
patrolmen.

"We realised we were ambushed," recalled a police sergeant.

"One of the first shots hit the back of my friend, Pol Sgt Chatri
Khamkhinroey," he said.

The policemen realised that the outlawed UWSA hadn't retreated.

"Once they saw us relaxing, the UWSA fighters returned and hit
us," he said.

After almost two hours of sporadic fire, help arrived.

"If it wasn't for our reinforcements and air support, we would
have been dead," the policeman added.

One police private  died two police sergeants and the unit head,
Pol Lt Phachon Kulhai, were seriously wounded.

POLICE CASUALTY

While ranking police sources say that the casualties could be
generally regarded as low for a battle, one officer noted that:
"One dead policeman is serious enough for a routine peacekeeping
service, especially considering the fact that the country is not
at war."

Pol Lt Gen Khomkrij Pattanaphongpanich, Police Narcotics
Suppression Bureau commissioner added: "I consider this serious.
It is a warning that the fight against drugs is going to be
increasingly harder."

Such attacks, he said, are no longer simple criminal acts
"because they are now able to wage war against the state."

Narcotic suppression officers foresee higher casualties from now
on.

"It will not be the same as our encounters with communist
insurgents," according to one inside source.

He points out that it only took a single shot and a state
official's death in Sakhon Nakhon to start the Communist Party of
Thailand's war against the state.

The event is known in Thai anticommunist history as Gun-Blasting
Day which preceded decades of bloodshed lasting until the early
1970s.

The border clash led to a closer look at narcotics trafficking
and UWSA activities.

DAUNTING FOE

The Wa is the largest narcotics producer and trafficker in the
Golden Triangle. Lately, production has focused on amphetamines.

Latest reports indicate that the Wa is continuing to strengthen
forces by teaming up with hard-line fighters in the Kokang.
According to the reports, armed Kokang are guarding drug labs and
trafficking routes to the Thai borders.

The Kokang is an ethic minority group in Burma which together
with the Wa, the Thai Yai (Shan) and the Chinese Haw has been
associated with the Communist Party of Burma.

Since communism lost its hold in the region, communist fighters
have disbanded and reformed with the Kokang as the core.
The new group, the Kokang Democracy United Army (KDUA), led by a
Kokang identified as Yang Joen Charn, aims to "fight for
democracy" as an independent group.

The KDUA has about 7,000 armed men and is based in northern
Burma, close to Yunan.

Sunday Perspective found that the KDUA has received guerilla
warfare training. The KDUA earns money by collecting protection
fees from drug caravans as well as from other illegal activities.

There is no record of the KDUA being actual drug producers.

In the late 1990s, the KDUA, the UWSA, and some minority groups
entered into a peace agreement with the Burmese military junta.

Since then, Rangoon has not interfered when these minority groups
began rebuilding various forces and businesses.

In return, the groups help the ruling State Peace and Development
Council crush rebellions against Rangoon by groups such as
remnants of the former Muang Thai Army under Chao Suek. (Formerly
men of Khun Sa or Chang See Fu who surrendered to Rangoon in
1996).

The coalition also insures that no movements against Rangoon
arise from the various groups of Karen Buddhists or Karen
Christians or from the KNU (Karen National Union) of General Bo
Mia.

EXPANDED INFLUENCE

Pol Lt Gen Khomkrij told Sunday Perspective that he received
reports indicating that the Kokang has extended its influence
beyond the Burmese-Chinese border.

"They have been moving down south to locations close to the Thai
border," he said.  

The area opposite  Chiang Mai's Mae Ai district where the border
patrol police clashed with UWSA on September 23 - has now been
reinforced with Kokang fighters.

While some sources say that the move indicates preparations to
crush anti-Rangoon rebels based near the Thai border, reports
indicate that the Kokang are now dealing with narcotics.

Intelligence reports say the area has up to ten ampethamine
production laboratories located close to Kokang posts.

Income from amphethamine production and distribution is not only
used to suppress anti-Rangoon rebellions, but "is the wealth of
the KDUA itself, in the footsteps of the UWSA ," according to a
police source.

Recent reports from the field indicate that the Kokang have
posted men to the south, beyond the Chiang Mai border area and
opposite Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai and Tak.

Police narcotic investigators agree that many of the new Kokang
postings - probably up to 5,000 armed men - are all along known
narcotic routes.

"The ten drug labs are along the routes," the source says.

According to a police informant, there is a trend indicating the
Kokang's intention to extend its lines further south to link the
long narcotic route connecting Tak to Kanchanaburi and Ranong.

The Thai-Burmese border is about 2,000 kilometers  long.
The Thai border areas opposite Ranong are a gateway for illegal
exports by sea.

FACTIONS SPLIT

Several narcotics police sources told Sunday  Perspective that
the flow of Kokang reinforcements has continued as a result of
the UWSA split into two factions.

The split is centred on the Wa drug kingpin, Wei Hsuen Kang, 52.
Sources say this is in order for the UWSA to project a cleaner
image.

"With the Wei Hsuen Kang as UWSA drug warlords, they couldn't
achieve a better image," sources quoted some UWSA members as
saying.

This UWSA faction also wants to please the military junta, after
the peace agreement when Rangoon sought Wa cooperation.

"National development would be slow unless they get international
aid, which would be impossible when the country (mainly the Wa)
remains involved with drugs."

Rangoon reportedly told the Wa to clean up its act, particularly
in Moung Yawn, the Wa capital.

Despite the cooperation of some Wa, Moung Yawn is known as Wei
Hsuen Kang's headquarters, where most of his major drug
transactions are worked out.

"Recently, Wei Husen Kang moved out of town," an inside source
said. The drug kingpin's new whereabouts are

unknown, a fact which has given rise to rumours of a split among
the UWSA ranks.


However, inside sources say the rumours are just a UWSA tactic to
appease the military junta.

BUSINESS AS USUAL

Proof that the UWSA won't give up drugs and is still in business
is that Wei Hsuen Kang has been replaced at the Mouang Yawn base
by his close associate, Wei Hsuen Tang.

"They are practically blood brothers," according to the
informant.

Wei Hsuen Tang's two right-hand men, Col Lai Sua and Yi Puak are
also present.

Wei Hsuen Tang has set up Special Task Force 316, a group of
ethnic warriors whose agenda is unclear.

"The change could indicate beefing up of the Wa drug industries,"
says the source, who adds that the UWSA is still working closely
with Wei Hsuen Kang.

This is confirmed by a narcotics police officer who says that
Kokang movements at this time are ordered, permitted, or
contracted by the Wa drug kingpin, Wei Hsuen Kang.

"This is the only explanation. Otherwise there would be a war
between the two groups. The more influential Wa would normally
never allow the Kokang to get into the drug business so easily,"
he says.

Despite the Kokang's great fighting prowess, they remain a step
beneath the wealthier and more influential Wa.

>From time to time, the Wa subcontracts drug caravan protection
jobs to the Kokang. This explains why anti-drugs officials
believe that the Wa ordered the Kokang to post men along the
Thai-Burmese border's  drug routes.

The Kokang are primarily jungle fighters, but the Wa could now be
giving them information about drug producing and trading, a
police officer theorised.

The main Wa trafficking route, leading to the Thai border at Ban
San Ton Do has been closed since 8 August following a clash with
the Thai border police force at the nearby Ban San Ma Khed in
Chiang Mai.

Thai authorities have also stepped up border attacks, border
patrol police and military trained rangers. More clashes and Wa
casualties have been reported in past months.

RED ALERT

On 14 October, exactly three weeks after the 23 September clash,
the Kokang force tested the efficiency of the Thai border police
force for the first time.

In a border village opposite Mae Hong Son province, about 20
armed Kokang fighters crossed the Thai border and entered Baan
Huey Phueng in the Huey Pha district, three kilometres from the
border.

At 5.30 p.m., the 30th unit of army trained rangers of the Third
Army arrived on routine patrol. The subsequent exchange of
gunfire lasted for 30 minutes, after which the intruders
withdrew. No casualties were reported.

Armed forces analysts believe that this testing of forces should
he taken as an alert warning for Thai forces along the 2000
kilometers of the Thai-Burmese border. From now on, according to
one border officer, "The antinarcotic war is going to be more
violent."

*****************************************************************

GIRL HELD FOR DEBT
9.1.2000/BANGKOK POST
DPA

Rangoon - A timber merchant owed money by another timber merchant
took the debtor's daughter hostage in lieu of repayment in
central Rangoon on Friday afternoon, authorities said yesterday.
The man who was allegedly owed money, accompanied by two
accomplices, went to the home of the man who owed him money to
collect on a loan, and when the man could not pay they took his
10-year-old daughter hostage. When the girl's mother intervened
she was shot in the abdomen with a .38-calibre pistol and taken
to hospital. Police blocked roads, shut off electricity and used
tear gas to apprehend the man, the reports said.

*****************************************************************

INDIA TO HELP BURMA
9.1.2000/BANGKOK POST
AP

New Delhi - Military chiefs of India and Burma have met to
discuss improved communication and exchanges between their forces
along a border where a dozen tribal groups are fighting
secessionist wars, an Indian Foreign Ministry statement said
yesterday. General V.P. Malik, the Indian army chief, met General
Maung Aye, deputy commander-in-chief of the Burma defence
services, during a visit to Mandalay on Thursday, said the Indian
statement. "The two sides agreed to adopt concrete measures to
enhance co-operation in the fields of agriculture, industry,
infrastructure development and science and technology," the
statement said.

*****************************************************************

COMMENT

MESSAGE TO THE JUNTA
9.1.2000/BANGKOK POST/PERSPECTIVE
MYINT THEIN

THE MORE INTRANSIGENT THE BURMESE GENERALS, THE MORE CERTAIN THAT
THE RESISTANCE WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK THEM

The "Fighting Peacock" flying high at the Burmese Embassy in
Bangkok was a clear sign of the beginning of a new phase in
Burmese politics. The National League for Democracy (NLD) and
Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) were marginalised because the strategy of
Gandhi type passive resistance does not work in a police state.

1999 started out on a sour note. While the Burmese democracy
movement was organising trade and investment sanctions against
the military government, a secret meeting sponsored by the
British Foreign Office invited 39 so-called Burma experts to
Southern England and formulated a one billion dollar aid plan for
the SPDC in return for unspecified political reforms.

Fortunately several key US Senators strongly objected to the
British plan to send aid to the SPDC and killed it.

The 9/9/99 campaign energised the Burmese democracy movement.
They are fed up with the Burmese junta and embassies in London
and Australia were attacked by overseas Burmese.

This led to the commando attack on the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok
which shocked the Burmese military government.

Former Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw repeatedly stated that "there
will be no American sanctions" and "sanctions will not be
effective".

Ohn Gyaw was dead wrong on both counts and lost his job.

Despite Asean rhetoric, sanctions have been very effective in
Burma.

In 1999, the SPDC depleted its foreign exchange reserves and was
"saved" by an emergency $200 million loan from the communist
Chinese government. The military government that blamed ASSK for
having communist friends had become a dependent of the Chinese
government.

And the loan did not come cheap. Burma had to agree to the
publication of a Chinese language newspaper in
Rangoon and provide preferential trading privileges for Chinese
businessmen in Mandalay.

The junta says that military rule is needed to prevent the
disintegration of the country. Yet the SPDC has granted
independence to the United Wa State Army (UWSA). No Burmese
troops are permitted in Wa territory and the UWSA operates like
an independent government. Several generals probably share the
very lucrative profits from amphetemine exports to Thailand.

ASSK was a harmless opponent of the SPDC generals. She would
irritate the generals with her press interviews but she was not a
serious threat to them.

But the SPDC generals made a strategic blunder. They decided to
marginalise ASSK and the NLD. Their success at this had
unintended consequences and created a dangerous opponent. Two
hundred Burmese students are now receiving commando training at a
secret base inside Burma. They are determined to eliminate the
entire SPDC leadership.

Slorc/SPDC is fully aware that there is no known defence against
a Tamil Tigers type suicide commando attack.

The Burmese Resistance regrets this development. This is why it
is willing to assist Japanese efforts to mediate a political
settlement in Burma.

"Johnny", the leader of the Burmese student commandos, was a
student at the Defense Services Academy (DSA) in 1988. SPDC is
horrified that one of their DSA students is now trying to "get
rid of them"

Slorc/SPDC also worry about "Johnny's" DSA classmates who are now
young captains in the Burma Army. The SPDC does not need to be
reminded that six DSA captains almost staged a successful coup
against General Ne Win in 1976.

* Myint Thein is senior adviser to the Burmese Resistance

*****************************************************************
THE SANGAI EXPRESS: INDIA AND MYANMAR ALL SET TO CHECK DRUG TRAFFICKING

MPHAL MONDAY 10 JANUARY 2000 VOL 1/118



IMPHAL, Jan 9

Authorities of the tow neighboring countries of the Myanmar and India 
have to a greed to beef up security on either side of the border to 
check cross border smuggling of narcotics and psychotropic substances.

The decision to check cross border sumggling was arrived during the 
Indo-Myanmar talk held on January 7 in Shillong. The Union minister of 
the commerce and industry and the Union power minister represented India 
at the talk. Chief secretaries of Mizoram, Arunachal Prates and Manipur 
took part in the talk. Union home ministry officials also attended the 
meeting. High ranking officails including the vice chairman of peace and 
development council represended the Myanmares side.   

Talking to The Sangai Express chief secretary H Jelly who returned 
Imphal today after attending the meeting, saide countries have agreed to 
intensify security and check cross border sumggling of drugs and other 
psychotropic substances on a war footing.

A sectorall level meeting will be held at Aizawl next month as a follow 
up measure, he saide. The next meeting may be held Imphal.

A joint inspection team of the two countries are presently conducting 
surveys over boundary disputes between the two countries.  A cabinet sub 
comminittee of the state government has also been institused to in to 
the matter.

The metting endorsed the idea of the further promoting border trade and 
the Indian delegations gave assurances to their Myanmares counterpart of 
full co-operation. Both countries recommended the idea of adding more 
commodities to present 22 items for cross border trade. Opening of the 
UBI branch at Moreh to facilitate smooth flow of trade and commerce was 
mooted. Efforts are also on to extend telecommunication link to Tamu. 
The meeting also discussed the prograss of the 170 km long road linking 
kalimeo to Tamu. The road is being constructed by the BRTF.   


 
***END***********************


_____________________________________________________________
Keep up with breaking news! Join our Hot Topics list.
http://www.topica.com/lists/breakingnews/t/12