Gandar Mount P.S.O

The Burmese Junta has been always declaring and revealing about the seizure of heroin, opium and methamphetamines and the traffickers, who are mostly retailers, in Burmese news papers and on TV.

The Military Junta’s anti-drugs operations is only focusing on the minor traffickers, some of whom dealing with low grade and small quantity and while others involved high-grade heroin as individual business and not the Drug Syndicate.

But the authorities have never seized huge amount and high-quality of heroins and opiums belonged to the Drug lords Lo Shin Han, Khun Sa’s group, Wai Xu Gang, Lao Kai group, Li Min Shin’S group, U Ai Tun and the Wa Army force.

These groups have been paying tax a lot to Junta government as well as apparently providing much money to high ranking officials included the Army Generals of Divisional commanders in the Shan State for personal use.

This is Drug policy of the longevity of Burmese Ruler.

For instance, according to the Burmese news paper published in “New Light of Myanmar”, the military authorities captured 308 people, 250 men and 58 women in 207 drug related cases.

Police Custom officials and the military seized 7.6 kg of heroin, 71.18 kg of opium, 0.7 kg of opium oil, 4.6 kg of low-grade opium and more than 220,000 stimulate tablets during in November alone as part of their crackdown on the narcotics trade.

Although crop substitution programmes for poor farmers would never be successful the regime has no expectancy to do it more.

Especially, Junta has claimed, the US DEA and UN office on drugs are interfering its internal affair.

Human rights abused in the country is on going as the political activists are imprisoned for their movement of the democracy some them sentenced to 20 years or 30 years etc.

All the politicians are blamed to have undermined the country’s security and its human rights record has become under scrutiny by the international community after the Junta cracked down on the street protests led by the country’s Buddhist monks.

Burma’s human rights record has gone from bad to worse including the conditions endured by Political prisoners.

Hundreds of political prisoner were removed from the original notorious Insein Jail and Mandalay jail and then separately transferred them to another jails in the provinces throughout the country such as the provinces of Ka Chin state, Shan state, Chin state, Arikan state, Mon state, Karen state and Karen Ni state etc. in order to severely sever contacts between the parents or relatives and prisoners.

The UN Officials are not be able to meet the political prisoners.

The Junta does not want to meet any UN Official and Red Cross.

Do not think that the Military regime seems keen to appear to be making some concessions to the human rights envoy.

Since the Red Cross stopped their prison visit because of government interference, conditions have deteriorated.

No proper medical care ,less food rations and no one to courier letters between them and their families.

This was part of the package provided by representatives of the International Committee for the Red Cross on their regular visit to the prisoners.

There are still more than 2,000 political prisoners languishing in the prisons.

The international community has been telling the Junta for more than 20 years to release political prisoners and stop human rights abused but without any appreciable success.

In earlier August, the latest visitor Tomos Ojea Quintana, the UN’s new human rights rapporteur for Burma, feels certain that the regime is ready to cooperate with him after five days-visiting to Rangoon where he met some political prisoners in Insein jail.

On his inaugural trip to Burma, political prisoners were his top priority.

But he failed to meet any real high-ranking officials of the government or military.

He also did not try to see Aung San Su Kyi, on the grounds this was an sensitive issue best avoided
on his first visit to Burma.

Mr Quintana plans to return to Burma in February 2009, to help prepare for his submission to UN Human rights Council next March.

He also thinks the Burmese regime is keen to be seen cooperating with the UN.

It may be unlikely to be successful and popular in the future and his next visit will mixture of good and bad experiences.

P S O

An army officer used to say that ” it is likely stupid if we considered to destroy the opium growth in our country”.

In the long-run, the natural growth of teak-woods in the Shan State are almost to be gone as tons of teak log have been illegally transporting to China and Thailand.But the opium trees, which have to be cultivated but it can be grown in a short time and has easy way to make money, will never be gone.

There are many armed groups including Rebel, Defense force, militancy are being independently involved with drug trafficking without harassment of the military Government.

The Burmese army from battalion commanders to Brigadier Generals regularly based across the Shan State are being the share-holders in the drug-running business due to mutual interests made between the out-law groups and the military authorities.

The most strategic area to be prevented is in the Thailand-Shan State boders.

Thousands of the Burmese soldiers are on alert and deploying along the route closed to border apparently from Nong Uk of Chiang Dao to Mong Go opposite Mae Sai.

Mong Go is situated in north of Takilek city and on the Mae Kong river bank and opposite Laos.

It is very freedom to export the drug from the Mong Go to the Laos soil which is linking to Vietnam border.

Non stop production of methamphetamine is managed by the notorious Way brothers, Way Xao Kang, Way Xao Yin and Way Xao Lin who had been massive lost property and money during
Thaksin Gonernment’s drug eradication.

Thaksin, as he vows to root up the drug traffickers during his administration, set a special team of Anti Money Laundry which had successfully seized many plots of land, weapons, gold ornaments, concealed money, cars, millions of baht in the saving banks and luxuriou houses in Chieng Mai, Chieng Rai and Bangkok belonged to the Haw Chinese men an women.

Some are captured but others have been escaped.

All of them are relatives to Way brothers and long time living in Thailand.

Basing from this country, they managed to transport their heroin to their drug-syndicate in abroad.Among the seizure, jade and gems trading Co., grand and luxurious, located at World Trade center in Bangkok has been also seized by the Thai authority.

The trading Co. is, following the secret information,business-like designed for meeting and talking business.

Therefore the Way Brothers are trying to regain their lost of billion of baht by the drug-trafficking again.

Story on the Shan State be cotinued by PSO

In the early 1800s the British East India Company’s imports of Chinese tea, rare silk and Eastern spices were of far greater value than England’s coarse exports to China.

To balance this trade deficit and open up more ports to British merchants, England smuggled Turkish
and Indian opium into China, ignoring a Chinese ban on the drug.

As tea imports into England rose, so did opium imports into China.

Eventually the Americans involved in this lucrative trade,and in the 1950s the lead of one of the largest smuggling companies was Franklin D.Roosevelt’s grandfather Warren Delano II.

Near the end of the 19th century ethnic Chinese Triads,which started in the 17th century as an underground network of patriotic citizens who opposed the conquering Manchus from Mongolia, derived their name from a Chinese concept that identifies the the three sides of an equilateral triangle with man, heaven and earth.

Their members were involved in various failed revolutions over the centuries,and most triads slowly evolved into convenient vehicles for thinly veiled thuggery.

The Triads attracted adventurers who found the upward path blocked in normal society.

By the 20th century their main resources and activity were the heroin trade, extortion, gambling and prostitution.

Members held meetings, not to resolve political problems but to assign assassination jobs to Red Poles, as their hit men were called.

From the very beginning China’s most powerful triad members, the Chiu Chao, helped facilitate the opium trade.

The Chiu Chao were a seagoing people from southern China who migrated to many Southeast Asian countries.

In time, the Chiu Chao dominated smuggling and opium traffic along the China coast.

When Westerners imagined wicked Chinese pirates smuggling gold bars, drugs and frightened maidens,and lurking in the dark recesses of the Spice Islands, they were picturing the Chiu Chao Kingpins heading major banks in the region control the international narcotics trade from the Golden
Triangle of Indochina through Bangkok.

Documentry film-makers from Australia risked their lives to go into jungle of the Shan land although there were some risks in every adventure.

They were keen to know about opium growth, opum trade, heroin refineries and who were controlling biggest heroin product-ion in the Shan State? etc.

They however wanted to know most was about Khun Sa and his army, Wa army, Go Gang group and
Nationalist groups revolted against the Burmese Government.

The interview made in evening and 2 hours long.

Major Koan Mong was responsible to answer the questions and said “I’m read to respond frankly to your questions, Go ahead please!”

Q: How your SSA army’s situation currently ?
A: The situation of the SSA was currently in crisis and it was to be considered.

Q: What had really happen to your army ?
A: Our leaders Col. Sam Mong, Divisional Commander, and Col. Pan Aung, Senior financier in the party had been disappeared since in August 1978 in Thai soil. We believed that they were dead. It’s the great lost and it’s also the main reason that the SSA had to be confronted with difficulties. The 2 men had been trusted and highly respected by their subordinates. In the previous days the SSA with 4,000 strengths had been the second strongest force among the revolutionary groups in Burma while the Karin KNDO was the largest Army and being the most revolutionist. We anyway would continue our political movement.

Q: We believed that currently Khun Sa’s Shan United Army holding with modern military equipments was the strongest.How did you think that?
A: Yes it’s sure,but he’s not the politician and his armed force had not been fighting against the Government forces basing through-out Shan State. He had been doing for his own rich which being large involved with heroin trade.

Q: Howmany refinery he had and howmany ton the refinery was capable to produce pure white heroin ,estimatedly, and where did the heroin go?
A: Not less than 5 refineris around the mountainous areas of Loimaw west of Salween river where raw opium was collected as Loimaw was his native place. Vast productive opium- field was also under his strict control. Besides, opium from others merchants and privade collectors in Tang Yan district sold their opium to him. Refined heroin, it’s depending on the demand, had to be stocked as one “massive demanded massive productive”. Escalating heroin activity, from the switch to a biannual harvest by poppy farmers in the Shan State to doubling of heroin addicts in the USA. Accompanies the growing influence of the triads. Throughout much of the 1980s the USA attempted to curb the supply of heroin by providing Burma with millions of US dollars for poppy fields eradication efforts.This had minimal effect, and the US suspended all aid to the Burmese Government because of its brutal supression of a nationwide Democracy movement. Since then, heroin on US street had become more abundant than ever before. That was after Khun Sa moved to Ma Hin Dek, on Thai border of Chieng Rai,1976. According to mutual interests, which had made between Burmese Junta and Khun Sa in April 1973,Khun Sa drew up the six years plan for the control and eradication of opium and opium related crops. It was doubted that the plan was created by the Burmese and the Warlord was urged to do. Khun Sa ,as the opium King, promised to corporate with internation community to fight against narcotic drugs and submitted his six years plan. This was rejected by the Carter Administration on July in the same year.

Q: Had you ever met the opium King before? We would like to know about his Drugs transportion route and his drug gangs abroad including Australia?
A: No,I had never seen him but we as the Political group always observed and detected any armed group active in the Shan State. Therefore we tracked down Khun Sa’s every step.

- More interested Q And A on drug be continued -

Had the trafficking of Heroin alarm Australians?

In 1981, being in crisis situation, the SSA force scattered throughout Shan State and had been trying to survive by recollecting funds, which mostly taxed live-stock, opium, gems, antiques and sandalwood, from various merchandisers who crossed Salween River from west to east bank and continued to Thai borders of Mae Hong Son, Chiang Dao and Mae Sai.

The regrouped SSA soldiers commanded by Major Koan Mong as a breadwinner set tax collecting points in three ferries along east bank of the river, each route of ferry which is major link to the districts borders. The goods made in Thailand were also taxed when its merchants returned homes.

During a month alone hundreds of various traders included Chinese from Go Gang State, Ka Chin State, Shan State, Mo Goke, Mandalay etc, traveling by on foot and horses, using them as goods carriers, to the Thai border while Salween river was the main interim of the long journey.

The trip between the river and the border spent about 3 days if no harassment on the way.

Sometime Burmese armed troops robbed merchants while they were on patrol, fighting between armed drug-trafficking groups and the Burmese patrolled forces were also often busted out in mountainous ares as well.

The Burmese soldiers, when they are in the jungle, were accused as the robbers.

They might have been instructed by their big master in the Regiment.

Three Austrians, the Film-makers of Documentary which was said to have concerned with “Drugs and Politics” in Shan State of Burma, arrived in east Salween River to meet the SSA members by crossing Mae Hong Son border.

They only said they were from Australia and had contacted UPI (Unite Press International) based in Bangkok to be here.

They firstly met the SSA’s liaison officer in Mae Hong Son and then moved forwards to the river escorted by Shan guards.

They stayed there for 4 days to take pictures of various travelers and mule-caravan moving across west bank to east bank of the river.

The three in fact wished to go inner-most of the battle fields and opium-grow in central Shan State, if they had an opportunity, as hoped to record on exchanged fires between rebels and Burmese.

SSA could could not guarantee for their safety.

Interested interview had conducted, is it true that Australia is being transit- point of Drug trafficking?

—be continued—

Khun Sa continued order his gun men to kill his rival, the quality leaders of the SSA Nationalists, 2 years after the killing of Col. Sam Mong and his comrades.

Col. Pan Aung, Sao Boon Dai, President of the Political wing in the party, and Sao Seng Han, Foreign Affairs, were consecutively killed by closerange gun-shot in downtown Chiang Mai.

Soe Zung and Sao Boon Dai, both had frequently denounced Khun Sa’s policy as it was similar to the policy of former Cambodian Leader Bhon Pot.

Similar death occurred in Mae Hong Son when Major Sam Lek and Major Sam Car, SSA section commanders ,were shot near their homes in Kar Harn village outskirts Mae Hong Son.

The last one to be killed was Col.Sai Lek who accepted Khun Sa’s invitation that to work for the combined forces under leaders of KhunSa and Moe Haing, whose Mong Tai Army (MTA) established on 3 March 1985.

After Moe Haing died in 1991, Sai Lek with his men moved to Mong Mai headquarter and stayed there for months- long only, he suffered serious illness for a week under intensive care by a Shan Medical Dr., who is the regular Doctor (forgot his name) at Ho Mong Headquarters.

He had been responsible for the killing of Col.Sai Lek as he was seen to have injected medicine into Sai Lek’s blood-stream.

Sai Lek died at 5 am ,according to his personal guadrs and his friends sitting around him.

VDO camera had recorded the incidence of Sai Lek’s situation, being under ill treatment of the Doctor, until his death.

It was beyond doubt that Khun Sa oredred the killing.

It could not believe that such a man with tough body ,aged a bout 45,was easily died by minor illness.

He, half India-half Shan, as battalion commander had been known as one of the most active in military operrations and wanted by the Government.

His armed struggle in the jungle as long as about 25 year and with much experience of a series of fightings against the Burmese army had always rejected cease-fire talks with the Burmese.

But when the SSA was undermined and in the situation of political turning point, Col. Sai Lek Coincidenly accepted Khun Sa’s offer which he never thought that would be dangerous to his life.

It was also miscount of the victim.

Another top leader wanted by the Burmese and remained to be slain was Sao Wai, the son of first President of Burma Sao Shwe Theik, moved to Canada with his family from Chieng Mai.

He had been also invited by Khun Sa twice to head politics in the party.

He quited the politics since Col. Sam Mong disappeared and living in Chieng Mai long time as ordinary people before leaving for Canada for good.

Between 1978-1996 (in the period of 17 years)

STEVEN LO AND WIFE CECILIA NG

CECILIA NG

LO SHIN MIN                            GEN. KHIN NYUNT

CHINESE TEMPLE IN LASHIO

The Go Gang Force of drug running headed by Lo Shin Han and the Khun Sa’s drug trafficking force had been once engaged strongly in mid 1973.

The heavy fighting bursted out when the Khun Sa’ soldiers promptly ambushed the Go Gang armed troops of goods transportaion from the Thai border of Mae Hong Son.

About 50 horses, on back of which goods included textiles, shoes, clothes, electrical appliances and radio- cassettes are loaded, guarded by about 100 armed Go Gang Chineses tried to escape the stormed fires from battle field as they did not want to lose their belongings.

The strong exchanged fires spent almost 3 days in which Go Gang group suffered heavy casualities.

Ten horses with loaded goods left behind were seized by 800 strentgh of Khun Sa’s force, it was initially SUA (Shan United Army), differently basing around mountainous areas strategically under control by the strong Shan State Army (SSA), the real Nationalist group.

Khun Sa’s force headed by Fa Lung and Khun Seng fled to SSA’s area for shelter after being Khun Sa was arrested by the Burmese Ruler on 17 October 1969.

He was in jail for 6 years and outside jail under training of Burmese Military Intelligence Service for over a year.

He was later said to have signed an agreement of Mutual interests with the Burmese Junta.

After Khun Sa was released on 7 Februay 1976, his force was swiftly moved to Ma Hin Dek border of Chiang Rai in ordre to build the SUA Headquaters where Khun Sa was able to reinfoce his army and had become strong Army in a shot time.

Khun Sa’s armed force which attacks Go Gang defence force was angered Lo Shin Han.

The Go Gang Boss at that time confronting with serious crisis that the Burmese Govrnment had isued an urgent ordered to capture him and his family and to eradicate his opium trade with Ku Ming Tong and its Burmese Commnistally.

Therefore the way he could do is run away.He also fled to SSA.

British Documentry film-maker Adrian Cowel had apportunity to record the fightings.

Consequently, both drug lords, the long time bitter enemies, have become friends in Burma.

Gen.Khin Nyunt was the peace maker.

The General at that time was dubbed as TV star but said anti Gen.Moung Aye who prefers “the rebels must surrender, no talk for cease-fire to them.”

Gen.Khin Nyunt understood Lo Sin Han well as the man of Businese like and internationalist due to his yearslong experience in various trades and corporations.

Therefore Khin Nyunt raised him and opened links to world-trade internationaly while he is being the big Boss of Chinese association in La Shio, Mu Se, Koon Long of northern Shan State and Mandalay, Rangoon.

Lo Shin Han is believed to have widely controlled the shareholders whose finacial status is not onlyhigh-grade but not at stake.

Since the time of Military Government led by Gen.Than Shwe, Gen.Mong Aye and Gen.Khin Nyunt had suffered seriously for lack of money so that they had to depend on Druglords to raise annual revenue.

Gen.Khin Nyunt therefore was responsible for State revenue.

Kin Nyunt, as the Stateman, was the key role for good relationships of trade corporation between Lo Shin Han and the Singapore’s leading traders.

Later after MTA’s surrender, Khin Nyunt made a reunion for good freindships between Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han who have been bitter rivals for a long time in the Drugs trafficking.

Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han were anyway urged to support the Junta’s annual revenue.

Lo Shin Han and Khun Sa are the ownerships of Ruby mine in Mo Gok situated in Shan and Burmese border, about 150 miles northwest of Mandalay, and Gade mine in Phar-Garng of Myit Gyi Na, the City of Kachin state.

Besides, both opium lords are involved with the thousands of tonns of timber exported to China.

Ruby and Gade are trasported to America through Singapore, Hongkong and Japan.

The Gems trade is one of the most lucrative sources of profit for the Burmese Rulers.

The Ruler has been contrlling theUnion of Burma Economic Holdings Limited and Burma Economic Corporation, to which Lo Shin Han and Khun Sa sold their jade and rubies, both are involved in the gem trade, banking and costruction directly and through sudsidiaries.

Singapore has also become a major player in Asia trade and strong role in World Trade Organization.

Lo Shin Han had been under house-arrested in Rangoon and released after 2 years.

He endorsed not to be involved with politics, arms smuggled business and no connections with any rebellion force as well.

He must be in northern Shan State (included Go Gang State).

He was agreed to carry on his initial business such as ruby, Jade, liquor and imported goods from China.

Tonns of teak-logs are exported to China via Mu Se.

All his soldiers were regrouped and set up as the Go Gang Reginal Defence group, which has been a group of extraodinary strength in running business, as year and year extended its large profitable business.

More and more Chinese capitalists were called to be shareholders.

Lo Shin Han business group developed Mu Se small town, which is undeveloped although closed to China, to be modern city.

The group bougth large plots of land in downtown and on the main road to build commercial buildings, luxurious hotels,modern houses, golf-course, clubs, entertainments centers etc. For good transportation, the main road between Mu Se and Mandalay via La Sho, Hsipaw,
Kyauk Me Nong Cho and Pyin U Lwin.

The construction costed 300 US million dollar.

They also set gates in each town to collect wheel tax.

Besides, the old iron-bridges across river were rebuilt.

Tens of thousands tourist from Europe, America, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand visited Mu Se through China land almost whole-season.

The small City opposite Mu Se is called Jaecao where it ’s likely can get every thing.

– Part 3 be continued –

Lo Shin Han and his business partners have been doing the drug businese under control of the Government in Burma for over 3 decades, since 1974, the Govenment of Ne Win, until today.

But he and his brother Lo Shin Min began to do their drug business in Go Gang State since about 1960 with freedom and without Burmese’s harassment.

Besides the drug trafficking, white and rediquors were also produced which widely distribued throughout the Shan State.

At that time he was offered to establish “Go Gang Defence Force” which inclded 300 strength of Go Gang Chinese only, to protect the rebel groups, the Shan State Army, the Burmese Communist and Ku Ming Tong (KMT) by the Ne Win Government.

Arms and military equipments were collected in Mae Sai.

Lo Shin Min set a drug distributed center in Ta Ki Lek opposite Mae Sai boder town.

Lo Sin Han’s Company at that time was able to refine opium into Mitsu (No.3 pink color) only not yet No.4 white heroin.

The Ku Ming Tong forces led by Gen.Lee 3rd Brigade commander and Gen.Doan 5th Brigade commander defeated by the communist in 1949, took sanctury in Shan State by the thousands.

By then, due to KMT’s promotion policy couple with Burmese economic mismanagement and secret encouragement, popy cultivation and opium trading had jumped on a shockingly rapid scale.

Lo Shin Han, as the opium trader,was secreatly cntacted by the KMT for opium trade.

The secret friendships between the Go Gang and the KMT (the KMT has already joined Burma Commnist and attacked Khun Sa’s army and the Burmese army as frequently) leaked out after yearslong.

In 1973, the Government proclaimed that Lo Shin Han was the traitor and must be given to dead-sentence.Lo Shin Han narrowly escaped and fled to the Shan State Army’s controlled area of Mong Yai township, northern Shan State, and asked for security.

All of his folowers scatteringly fled to the jungle with arms.

Arrival of Lo Shin Han was coincident with making Documentry of Shan’s revolutionary movement by Britishs AdrianCowel and Chris, the Britishs.

Lo Shin Han’s plan was to stay in Thailan so that he asked the SSA leader to send him to Thai border.

In return,he provides financial assistance to SSA.

Lo had met Shan leaders including Soe Leant, Commander in Chief, Buan Tai, Chairman and Col.Sam Mong, Divisional commander in the area.

Shan leaders agreed to Lo’s wish and set a security troops for a week long by on foot to the border.

But before reaching Mae Hong Son boder, in Mong Mai area, the Thai Border Police force promptly captured him and despatched to Bangkok and later repatriated to Rangoon.

Thai and Burmese had signed agreement that repatriation of criminals.

– To be continued –