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voa on Khun Sa and happy retiremen
- Subject: voa on Khun Sa and happy retiremen
- From: cd@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 09 Mar 1996 17:22:00
Subject: voa on Khun Sa and happy retirement
DATE=3/6/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-193826
TITLE=BURMA / KHUN SA (L-O)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: REPORTS FROM BURMA SAY FORMER OPIUM TRAFFICKER KHUN SA
HAS BEEN MOVED TO RANGOON. V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS SENIOR
OFFICIALS OF BURMA'S RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT ARE QUOTED AS
CONFIRMING KHUN SA IS IN THE CAPITAL:
TEXT: SINCE THE SURRENDER OF KHUN SA TO BURMESE GOVERNMENT
FORCES IN JANUARY, A SERIES OF REPORTS DEEPENED THE MYSTERY
CONCERNING HIS WHEREABOUTS.
SOURCES IN SHAN STATE -- WHERE KHUN SA OPERATED HIS LUCRATIVE
OPIUM AND GEM BUSINESSES -- WERE QUOTED AS SAYING HE HAD ALREADY
FLOWN TO RANGOON AT LEAST ONCE TO MEET SENIOR OFFICIALS OF
BURMA'S MILITARY JUNTA.
HOWEVER, OTHER REPORTS SAID HE HAD NEVER MOVED FROM THE SHAN
STATE TOWN, HOMONG -- A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE BORDER WITH
THAILAND.
NOW, NEWS AGENCY REPORTS QUOTE WHAT THEY CALL SENIOR BURMESE
MILITARY OFFICIALS AS CONFIRMING KHUN SA IS IN RANGOON. STILL
UNCLEAR IS WHEN HE ARRIVED, AND EXACTLY WHERE HE IS STAYING.
ONE REPORT HAS HIM BEING HELD AT WHAT IS CALLED A MILITARY
SECURITY CAMP. EARLIER THIS WEEK, MEDIA REPORTS IN THAILAND
QUOTED SOURCES IN RANGOON AS SAYING KHUN SA WAS STAYING AT A
VILLA ON THE SHORE OF INYA LAKE.
// OPT // OTHER RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA INCLUDE BURMA'S FORMER
MILITARY STRONGMAN, NE WIN, AND AUNG SAN SUU KYI -- LEADER OF
BURMA'S DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. // END OPT //
DIPLOMATIC SOURCES IN RANGOON CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE (WEDNESDAY)
HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE LATEST REPORTS ABOUT KHUN SA.
OFFICIAL BURMESE MEDIA HAVE NOT MENTIONED KHUN SA'S ARRIVAL IN
RANGOON.
BURMA'S JUNTA HAS REFUSED TO SAY WHAT IT WILL DO WITH THE
61-YEAR-OLD KHUN SA -- WHOSE REAL NAME IS CHIANG SIFU. OFFICIALS
HAVE SAID ONLY THAT HE WILL BE TREATED ACCORDING TO BURMESE LAWS.
RANGOON REJECTS U-S DEMANDS HE BE EXTRADITED TO STAND TRIAL. IN
1989, KHUN SA WAS INDICTED IN ABSENTIA BY A NEW YORK COURT ON
HEROIN-TRAFFICKING CHARGES.
THE UNITED STATES HAS CRITICIZED WHAT IT CALLS ANY POLITICAL DEAL
THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO REMAIN FREE. WASHINGTON HAS OFFERED A
TWO-MILLION-DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS ARREST
AND CONVICTION.
// REST OPTIONAL //
ALTHOUGH BURMA'S MILITARY SAYS MORE THAN 15 THOUSAND MEMBERS OF
KHUN SA'S SHAN STATE ARMY SURRENDERED, PERSISTENT REPORTS SAY
HUNDREDS OF SHAN REBELS CONTINUE TO FIGHT GOVERNMENT FORCES.
BURMA'S MILITARY SAYS THE SURRENDER OF KHUN SA WILL LEAD TO A 70
PERCENT DECREASE IN OPIUM PRODUCTION IN SHAN STATE. BUT A NEW
U-S REPORT ON NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING SAYS RANGOON REMAINS
UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO REDUCE TRAFFICKING BY KEY ETHNIC GROUPS
AND CALLS SUPPRESSION EFFORTS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE. (SIGNED)
NEB / DB / AC / WOD
06-Mar-96 7:26 AM EST (1226 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America