Burma urged to join army summit

[okkarthesonofdogs@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Border closure halts Wa army's construction drive
Influential groups in bid to reopen pass
Bangkok Post ? 3 Jan 2000
Sermsuk Kasitipradit AND Nusara Thaitawat
San Ton Du, Mae Ai, Chiang Mai
Development of the border village of Mong Yawn into the United Wa State 
Army's southern military command headquarters has come to a standstill, 
following Thailand's closure of the San Ton Du-Mong Yawn border crossing 
since August.
A senior officer of the Third Army responsible for security in the North 
said the closure of San Ton Du has had the desired effect on the UWSA, 
widely believed to be the biggest and most powerful drug trafficking group 
in the region.
"Construction materials and other essential commodities could reach Mong 
Yawn in just 3-4 hours when the border was open. But the situation has 
changed dramatically with the government's decision to close the crossing.
"It now takes at least 5-7 days for supplies to reach Mong Yawn via Chiang 
Dao's Kiew Pha Walk crossing, and the road is really bad," the officer said.
He admitted there was still pressure from certain influential persons to 
reopen San Ton Du. He said the army's consent was crucial for such a 
decision. "Under the present circumstances, it is absolutely unlikely the 
army will agree," he said.
Informed sources with links to the leadership in Mong Yawn said the UWSA was 
getting increasingly frustrated with the situation, as at first it believed 
the closure would only be temporary.
Not only has Mong Yawn's development suffered, but trade has also been badly 
affected.
A Thai businessman who supplied construction materials and petrol to Mong 
Yawn said the leadership there re-sold part of its imports at 10-20% profit 
to buyers deeper in Burma's eastern Shan State.
UWSA dependents, mostly young mothers and their infants, the sick and 
seriously wounded soldiers are still allowed across the border into Thailand 
for medical care on humanitarian grounds.
Mong Yawn's major infrastructure projects include a hydro-electric dam, a 
huge underground oil storage, roads, telephone lines and pipe water, and 
housing for UWSA leaders and thousands of soldiers and their dependents who 
were being systematically relocated from other UWSA-controlled areas in 
northern Shan State.
Its development projects include agriculture, animal husbandry, public 
health and education. The projects, aimed at achieving self-sufficiency and 
designed-according to USWA propaganda-to gradually wipe out drug 
trafficking, were estimated by an independent development worker to be worth 
at least one billion baht.
Before August, the UWSA employed 5,000-6,000 Thai workers in the whole of 
its southern military command stretching from Mong Yawn to Mong Hsat, 
including 500-600 in Mong Yawn alone. The UWSA is headquartered in Pangsanh 
near the Shan-Chinese border.
Army chief Gen Surayud Chulanont had pushed hard for the closure of the 
border crossing, after the army became fully convinced that the UWSA used 
drug money to fund Mong Yawn's development. The army chief had clarified 
several times that the ultimate purpose of the crossing's closure was not to 
stem the flow of drugs into the country, but to cause utmost difficulty to 
the UWSA in its aspirations to develop Mong Yawn.
The grand plan was for Mong Yawn, a dusty little village formally under the 
control of retired drug kingpin Khun Sa of the Mong Tai Army, to become home 
for 200,000 Wa people once construction was completed.
An intelligence officer from Pha Mueng Task Force, which supervises security 
along the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai border, said a large number of Thai workers 
still in Mong Yawn had contacted the army for help to come back home.

Tensions up on disputed border
Khun Sa's retreat brings new problem
Sermsuk Kasitipradit, Wassana Nanuam and Subin Khuenkaew
Bangkok Post ? 3 Jan 2000
The 1,500km-long rugged border terrain under the Third Army's control is 
regarded as a very sensitive area.
Once controlled by former drug warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army, the land now 
is sandwiched between thousands of troops which Thailand and Burma have 
deployed to prevent it from being seized by either side.
The military standoff in the area began in early 1996, following Khun Sa's 
surrender to the Burmese government on Feb 12 that year.
The former drug warlord had once used the area as his headquarters before 
the United Wa State Army, with strong military support from the Burmese 
military junta, evicted Khun Sa's MTA from the territory.
Khun Sa then moved his men to his new headquarters in Homong, opposite Mae 
Hong Son.
"We were all surprised to see Burmese soldiers marching into our village in 
early 1996.
"They asked us about the location of Thai military outposts in the area," 
recalled a villager in Ban Pang Nai, located a few kilometres from the 
disputed border zone.
Burmese soldiers were instructed to set up camps in the disputed area early 
in 1996.
The Third Army also reinforced its men after the Burmese army turned down a 
proposal for troop withdrawal to create a de-militarised zone in order to 
save unnecessary expenditure until both sides could settle their claim on 
the territory.
"Demarcation of the border line here will be the most complicated, since 
both sides use different maps while there is no clear natural boundary," 
noted an observer.
It is estimated that around 1,500-2,000 Burmese soldiers are currently in 
the area while the Third Army has deployed around 500-800 cavalry soldiers 
and paramilitary rangers at 11 military outposts, facing the Burmese 
military camps along the borderline.
The disputed area, known generally as Doi Lang, covers an area of 16sqkm and 
has several hills including Doi Lang, Doi Laem, Doi Song Jik and Doi Mark 
Lang.
About 15km further north is Mong Yawn, the UWSA's southern military command.
The UWSA is widely regarded as the largest drug trafficking group in the 
Golden Triangle.
Third Army commander Lt-Gen Wattanachai Chaimuengwong is confident the 
tension will not become an open conflict.
"The demarcation of the border will be settled by the General Border 
Committee. I see no problem there," he said.
Lt-Col Chainarong Kaewkla, commander of the Third Cavalry Regiment's 15th 
cavalry battalion which is in charge of security in the disputed area, said 
his mission is to safeguard the land and prevent it from being seized by the 
Burmese.
The cavalry battalion is part of Pha Mueng Task Force, led by Maj-Gen 
Somboonkiat Sitthidecha, commander of the First Cavalry Division.
His forces supervise the 900km-long border from Chiang Mai to Phitsanulok.
The cavalry officer is fully aware of the sensitivity of the situation since 
a number of Thai and Burmese military outposts are located opposite one 
another.
The battalion commander said both sides understand well that no one stood to 
gain should fighting start, and have therefore tried to avoid a 
confrontation.
"Misunderstandings in the area must be swiftly resolved since it might 
escalate.
"All unit commanders in the area have clear guidelines that any problem must 
be settled peacefully," said a junior cavalry officer posted at one of the 
army's 11 military outposts.
Burmese military officers in the area have also been instructed by Rangoon 
to avoid clashes with Thai soldiers.
It is quite common to see Thai and Burmese soldiers play takraw or 
volleyball in the evenings on a playground jointly constructed for their 
daily sports activities.
Several Burmese officers are also frequent dinner guests.
"This undoubtedly helps strengthen our mutual understanding," said a platoon 
commander.
Recently, Lt-Col Chainarong invited several Burmese battalion commanders to 
dinner at the Giew Hoong military outpost overlooking Doi Lang.
Several Thai senior officers from Pha Mueng Task Force including Col Anuwat 
Jaksaen, deputy commander of Third Cavalry Regiment and Lt-Col Narain 
Siriphubal, chief of the task force's civilian affairs division, attended 
the party.
However, only a few junior Burmese officers showed up.
"We just wanted to show them our good faith.
"Sincerity will eventually lead to a long-lasting friendship," said Lt-Col 
Chainarong, who was surprised by the Burmese response to the invitation.
Every morning a number of Burmese soldiers, accompanied by their Thai 
counterparts, are given permission to walk across the border to buy food 
from local villagers.
However, when the Burmese government unilaterally declared the closure of 
the entire border during Oct 31-Nov 25, some Burmese soldiers reportedly 
felt upset for not being allowed to buy food from the Thai side.
A rumour was spread then that some frustrated Burmese soldiers who were 
barred from buying food from Thailand would train their fire on Thai 
helicopters dropping supplies for Thai soldiers posted in mountainous areas.
"Fortunately, there was no such provocation," one cavalry officer said.
The officer added, however, that it was unlikely the border dispute will be 
settled any time soon.
"This may last another 10 years," he said.


Troops mingle amicably in no-man's land
Only buffer zone is a 20m-wide playfield
Bangkok Post ? 3 Jan 2000
Sermsuk Kasitipradit Wassana Nanuam
Of the army's 11 military outposts in the disputed area of Doi Lang, the Aek 
Archa base is located in the most threatening site, since only a 20m-wide 
playground separates it from the Burmese military camp.
"I didn't expect our camp to be so close to the Burmese soldiers. It looked 
quite threatening when we first arrived," said Sgt-Maj Prasert Supengkham, 
who is in charge of the base opposite Burma's 527th battalion.
However, he said the situation at the camp was not worrisome as soldiers 
from both sides are under strict instructions not to do anything that could 
spark a conflict.
The cavalry soldier was quite confident the situation in the area was 
unlikely to turn explosive.
Both sides have agreed to apply certain rules to avoid any mistrust that may 
affect mutual understanding. Among these is a commitment from both military 
camps to inform each other of any new developments in the area.
"We have agreed to inform each other if one side wants to inspect the 
disputed area and the inspection must be accompanied by troops of the other 
side. We will also let them know in advance if we plan to fly our 
helicopters over the area," said an officer from the Pha Mueng Task Force.
The playground, 20m wide and 40m long, was jointly constructed for daily 
sports activities such as volley ball and takraw.
The buffer zone-cum-playground also houses a small wooden pavilion which 
serves as a meeting place.
Soldiers from both sides can share the place but they are strictly barred 
from entering the military outpost of the other side.
"Usually, senior Burmese officers from nearby bases come here to dine with 
our officers. We discuss everything as long as it helps strengthen ties and 
create better understanding. We do not make them feel uncomfortable," said a 
junior cavalry officer.
Thai soldiers' daily activities begin with exercise at 5.30am before 
breakfast and singing of the national anthem at 8am. They return to their 
bunks at around 8.30pm.
Around 80 local villagers known as "People Power the Defender", whom the 
army has trained, take turns to patrol the camp at night.
"We have to keep in mind all the time that the situation here can turn 
violent at any moment as both sides are fully armed," said Capt Montri 
Genenakorn, a company commander whose base is located nearby.
English is the common language used by both sides to communicate with each 
other. Burmese soldiers are strictly forbidden to speak Burmese when they 
buy daily commodities from Thai villagers.
"We have told them to talk only in Thai or the local dialect so that people 
can understand what they discuss among themselves. They have co-operated 
fully," said a cavalry lieutenant who is a platoon commander.


Burma urged to join army summit
Bangkok Post ? 3 Jan 2000
The army will try to persuade Burma to attend the Asean army chiefs summit 
at Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan in November this year.
Army commander-in-chief Gen Surayud Chulanont said his intention is to forge 
closer ties between the armies of Asean countries. Discussions will centre 
on closer co-operation, and especially on joint exercises.
All Asean army chiefs have been invited.
During the summit, there will be a shooting competition with entrants from 
the various armies, at the infantry centre in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The army 
chiefs will also show their proficiency with a pistol.
Neither Vietnam nor Burma attended previous summits. This year, Vietnam has 
accepted but Burma's army chief General Maung Aye has not replied.

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com