Friday, 11 September 2009 01:03 UK
In search of a Burmese rebel leader
By Ko Ko Aung
BBC Burmese Service
Fighter from the PAO ethnic group in Burma
The Pao say they must fight to keep their own cultural identity
After flying half-way across the world I finally arrived at a rebel camp on the Thai-Burmese border on my quest to track down the elusive leader of the Pao National Liberation Army, Khun Thurein.
It took months of planning to meet the man, who with his force of just 100 men, is taking on the might of the Burmese military.
The men who follow him are all from a small ethnic minority group called the Pao. They have their own language, music, customs and traditional dress.
But they say the Burmese government is trying to destroy their culture. That's why two years ago Khun Thurein and his men dusted off their arms and began fighting once again.
In one recent ambush, Khun Thurein's men say they killed 12 Burmese soldiers.
The Pao are one of more than 100 different ethnic minorities in Burma. Most of them negotiated a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government more than two decades ago.
Despite the Pao's own ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government in 1994, the Pao feel their culture is gradually disappearing.
As I waited to meet the elusive Khun Thurein, I decided to visit some rebel outposts inside Burma.
At one of the Pao rebel camps high in the mountains, I came across Khun Tun Kyaw.
He said he witnessed his dad being brutally murdered by Burmese soldiers and pro-government militias in 1993.
He vividly described how his father was "hanged from a tree, his stomach was cut open, his genitals were severed and stuffed into his mouth, and two bullets were pushed into each of his ears".
It's not the first time I've heard of such atrocities, but on this occasion I was lost for words.
Refugees
Many Pao felt they had no choice but to flee across the border to Thailand.
Many of them have ended up at the Ban Nai Soi refugee camp which was a couple hours drive away.
Some people have been living there for 15 years or longer, but several told me that they still missed Burma.
They might eventually find their way to another country, but it seems they will not find their way back to Burma where they really belong - simply because it is not safe, even in areas where the ceasefire still holds.
During my visit to the camp I met Ma San Thu, who explained why she joined Khun Thurein's army as a medic.
She told me about a nine-year-old girl who she treated who had been raped by a Burmese government soldier.
She said: "We complained but our leaders stopped us from speaking out. So the resentment just grew. This kind of thing happens very often, so we started to think why can't we defend our people."
The rebel leader
By this time I had received my long-awaited summons to meet the man himself - Khun Thurein.
His jungle headquarters was just on the other side of the border inside Burma.
The Burmese government is a fraction of the strength of the British Empire. So I believe that we can beat them
Khun Thurein
I was the first journalist to be invited into Khun Thurein's camp, and he was anxious to take me on a tour.
As we headed out he explained that the Burmese government has been trying to establish a "Burmese mono-culture" in the country.
"Our leaders wanted peace and democracy. They wanted to sort out the political problems by political means. We never had a chance to sort the problems politically, so I thought the Burmese government would eliminate us."
Khun Thurein told me that he was well aware of the risk he was taking.
"We were under British colonial rule for 100 years. We fought them to reclaim our independence. The Burmese government [is a] fraction of the strength of the British Empire. So I believe that we can beat them."
Khun Thurein's wife admitted that she was very worried, and didn't know what would happen.
After all, it would take just one successful strike to wipe out Khun Thurein's entire force of just 100 men.
But, he said, "I would rather die fighting than bowing down to the pressure of the Burmese military regime to lay down arms without a political solution." http://news. bbc.co.uk/ 2/hi/asia- pacific/8247084. stm
Friday, September 11, 2009
In search of a Burmese rebel leader
Deadline for Chinese to leave ceasefire areas over
Deadline for Chinese to leave ceasefire areas over
News - Shan Herald Agency for News
Friday, 11 September 2009 10:35
The deadline set by Chinese authorities for all Chinese citizens to leave ceasefire areas in Burma ended yesterday.
In the aftermath of the armed conflict between the Burmese Army and the Kokan Army in northern Shan State at the end of August, Chinese authorities fixed a deadline for September 8 for all Chinese to leave the UWSA and NDAA controlled areas.
In terms of topography, the armed conflict area was in territories controlled by these two ceasefire groups.
A source close to Chinese authorities said that "China had set a deadline for September 8 for all Chinese citizens to leave Wa and Mongla areas. The deadline is over but we have to wait and see what happens in this area."
On September 5, UWSA released a statement relating to the people who live in their controlled areas. The statement declared that they would continue to allow people on duty from international organizations to stay. But Chinese people, who had set up business ventures in their areas, would have to go back to China.
"Chinese businessmen and state employees have left Pang Sang, controlled by UWSA, Mongla, and NDAA," a source close to ceasefire groups said.
"Chinese businessmen left Mongla and Pang Sang. They took their belongings in cars. Casinos have been closed in Mongla."
Some Chinese people have gone to the Sino-Burma town of Ruili, an eyewitness said.
"The Chinese from Wa and Mongla arrived in Ruili. Some of them have bought and rented shops for starting business afresh. They said they had moved to carry on their business because the situation had worsened on the Burma border."
According to analysts, the main reason behind the Chinese people leaving the area was that the Burmese Army could launch military offensives against the remaining ceasefire groups.
In a contradiction junta’s puppet media said that people, who fled the area following clashes in the Kokang area, have been coming back home and the situation in the area had normalized but Chinese businessmen have left UWSA and NDAA controlled areas. http://www.bnionlin e.net/news/ shan/7016- deadline- for-chinese- to-leave- ceasefire- areas-over. html
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