Khun Sa's Troops Renew Threat, 15 J

[shan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

To:     Postbag Bangkok Post

Re:     Khun Sa's Troops Renew Threat, 15 January 1998

Sir:

We would like to thank you for the report. We would also like to make a
protest with the headline. As reported by AP through you, Khun Sa, "weakened
by splits", surrendered. And that "splits" was the Shan State National Army
(SSNA) commanded by Karnyord. Likewise, the Shan United Revolutionary Army
(SURA), now renamed Shan State Army (Southern), "was not formerly controlled
by Khun Sa", while the Shan State Army (Northern) never joined Khun Sa's
Mong Tai Army (MTA). Therefore, how could they still be called "Khun Sa's
troops"? The headline may have been designed to attract readers' attention,
but it also hurt us. Now, some of our newly gained friends who are less
informed about the Shan Resistance are panicking and their fear is
understandable. After all, who would want to be known as a supporter for the
cause of Khun Sa? So we would like to request that, in future, you choose
better headlines.

As reported by you, we three, namely, the Shan State Army (Southern), the
Shan State Army (Northern) and the Shan State National Army, had resolved,
on 13 September 1996, to merge under the same name, Shan State Army. The
situation which led to that historic decision should be of interest. The
Shan State Army (Southern), commanded by Yordserk, that refused to surrender
but that was not against signing a ceasefire agreement with SLORC, was
nevertheless being hunted and attacked and the local people were being
subjected to all kinds of atrocities such as indiscriminate killings,
torture, rapes and forced relocations. It was to stop SLORC from harming the
people that the three groups had joined. They thought that since the SSA
(Northern) and SSNA had already ceasefire agreements with SLORC, the terms
would also be extended to the Yordserk group. And had SLORC, or SPDC as it
now call itself, really desired peace as they like to claim, they would have
gladly accepted the offer. Regretfully, it was turned down and the offensive
against the Shan State Army (Southern) and the people nas been renewed
since. The influx of Shans into Thailand during the past two years was the
direct result of this affair. The whole thing ofcourse makes one wonder
whether by refusing to accept the offer of peace by the Shan State Army, the
SLORC/SPDC is only getting an excuse to get rid of the Shans from their
ancestral land.


Ood Kesi
Vice Chief of Staff
Shan State Army (Southern)
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Translated by S.H.A.N., P.O. Box 15, Nonghoi P.O., Chiangmai 50007, THAILAND