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Hilltribes Blame Shan Army For Dest

Subject: Hilltribes Blame Shan Army For Destruction of Poppy Fields

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Shan Herald Agency for News
=20
9 December 1999

No: 12 - 12

Hilltribes Blame Shan Army For Destruction of Poppy Fields

Hilltribes along the Thai border are expressing their displeasure with =
the=20
Shan resistance for its forcible destruction of their poppy fields, said =

S.H.A.N. reporter, who just returned from his trip to Maehongson.

Several hilltribesmem, mostly Lahus form Pangmapha District, complained =
to=20
S.H.A.N. that units from the Shan State Army's Khunsang Tonhoong Column, =

commanded by Maj. Khamleng a.k.a Sai Chit, had been patrolling along=20
Thai-Shan border and destroying poppy fields. "A difficult man to deal=20
with, no amount of good words or money would change his one-track mind", =

said one from Soppawng.

"The Burmese Army, in contrast, is easier to deal with", another from =
Ban=20
Ela agreed. "Instead of destroying our fields, they even encourage us to =

grow and to set up refineries. The only condition is that we pay tax to =
them".

Another hilltribesman from Ban Hueypim also said, "Thailand and Burma =
have=20
governments recognized by the world, and yet they know when and where to =

close their eyes off. The Shans are still fighting for freedom and they=20
need our support. But why are they trying to alienate us by knocking off =

our pots and pans (meaning their poppy fields)?"

The source from Soppawng told S.H.A.N. that opium along the border is of =
a=20
higher grade. "With those from across the Salween, you may need 5-10 =
viss=20
to refine it into 1 kg of heroin", he said. "Here you will need not more =

than 4 viss to make 1 kg (of heroin)".

One of the Shan State Army's Guiding Principles is Anti-Narcotics.=20
According to one of its statements, the SSA has been putting the =
principle=20
into practice since last year, with the capture of a laboratory, =
allegedly=20
belonging to Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-2 of the SPDC.

///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>

S.H.A.N. is a non-profit making, independent Shan media group. It is not =

affiliated to any political or armed organization.=20


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<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial =
size=3D4><STRONG>Shan Herald=20
Agency for News</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>9 December =
1999<BR><BR>No: 12 -=20
12<BR><BR><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D4><STRONG>Hilltribes Blame Shan =
Army For=20
Destruction of Poppy Fields</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>Hilltribes along =
the Thai border=20
are expressing their displeasure with the <BR>Shan resistance for its =
forcible=20
destruction of their poppy fields, said <BR>S.H.A.N. reporter, who just =
returned=20
from his trip to Maehongson.<BR><BR>Several hilltribesmem, mostly Lahus =
form=20
Pangmapha District, complained to <BR>S.H.A.N. that units from the Shan =
State=20
Army's Khunsang Tonhoong Column, <BR>commanded by Maj. Khamleng a.k.a =
Sai Chit,=20
had been patrolling along <BR>Thai-Shan border and destroying poppy =
fields. "A=20
difficult man to deal <BR>with, no amount of good words or money would =
change=20
his one-track mind", <BR>said one from Soppawng.<BR><BR>"The Burmese =
Army, in=20
contrast, is easier to deal with", another from Ban <BR>Ela agreed. =
"Instead of=20
destroying our fields, they even encourage us to <BR>grow and to set up=20
refineries. The only condition is that we pay tax to =
them".<BR><BR>Another=20
hilltribesman from Ban Hueypim also said, "Thailand and Burma have=20
<BR>governments recognized by the world, and yet they know when and =
where to=20
<BR>close their eyes off. The Shans are still fighting for freedom and =
they=20
<BR>need our support. But why are they trying to alienate us by knocking =
off=20
<BR>our pots and pans (meaning their poppy fields)?"<BR><BR>The source =
from=20
Soppawng told S.H.A.N. that opium along the border is of a <BR>higher =
grade.=20
"With those from across the Salween, you may need 5-10 viss <BR>to =
refine it=20
into 1 kg of heroin", he said. "Here you will need not more <BR>than 4 =
viss to=20
make 1 kg (of heroin)".<BR><BR>One of the Shan State Army's Guiding =
Principles=20
is Anti-Narcotics. <BR>According to one of its statements, the SSA has =
been=20
putting the principle <BR>into practice since last year, with the =
capture of a=20
laboratory, allegedly <BR>belonging to Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-2 of the=20
SPDC.<BR><BR>///END\\\<BR>For further information, please contact =
S.H.A.N.=20
at:<BR>Shan Herald Agency for News.<BR>P.O. Box. 15, Nonghoi P.O., =
50007,=20
Chiangmai, Thailand<BR>Ph/Fax: (053) 807 121<BR>e-mail: &lt;<A=20
href=3D"mailto:shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx";>shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx</A>&gt;<BR><BR>S.H.A.=
N. is a=20
non-profit making, independent Shan media group. It is not =
<BR>affiliated to any=20
political or armed organization. <BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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