Gandar Mount P.S.O

It is small city on the hill-top in east Mong Su township but a lot of various nationals and tribes are living and striving to get money not only in a short time but also making a massive profit, by hardiness, although it is hazardous to them.

To the mountain city, where the natural ruby stones are dug and sold them as being good business, the merchants or visitors must depend on 4 wheel truck driving about 2 hours along mountainous route from botom of the mountain.

The ruby stones each weight from 2 to 20 carats could be found after diging out for 7 meters or more deeper and about 4 square-meters wide.

Many hard-laborers who risk to do across the country settle down here and try their luck.

The capitalists inclding Chineses, Indians, Burmese, Shans, Wa Army and Thais are waiting to buy alot of ruby stones.

The quality of the ruby is similar to ruby from Pai Lin of Cambodia.

The best ruby in the world is in Moe Goke mine in Burma and it is strictly controlled by the Burmese Junta.

The Junta allows only the Opium King Pins such as Lo Shin Han, Khun Sa and Way Zu Gong who pay revenue to run gem mines.

The alleged Mong Su city has since 1990 been popular with it’s beautiful red-ruby as the ruby-stones were firstly found by the Palawng tribe, who regularly living around the mountain area, during in rainy season.

But later after 1999 the situation in the city had apparently changed into turbulence because of inflowing original Chinese from mother land as in one hand, increasing drugs and weapons trafficking business in the area is on the other hand.

Merchants and capitalists are using the currency of US Dollar, Chinese Yuan and Thai baht only.

No electricity in the mountain-city but some,who are able to bring in a small petrol-engine for electricity from China, have own private electricity.

About 20,000 residents in the city strive to be rich only and also not to live in poverty while the country is being poverty-stricken situation.

Among the smugglers,hundreds of Thai involved in the arms, drugs and gems trafficking are also found in the City.

Thai traffickers, speak Shan and English for business talks (as Thais and Laos can talk to each other by using own language), run between the mountain city and Mae Sai border where their bosses or regular customers or investors are on alert in Takilek because of having better security than in Mae Sai.

For an example, short guns Pistols and Revolvers are being popular in the Ruby-land every body who have a lot of money ordered the guns from the Thai smugglers to use it for self- protection or resold them to others.

The Thai traffickers venture to do both illegal methamphetamine and guns business while they have friendships with the Red Wa Army and Shan Army forces, which had agreed cease-fire with the Burmese Government since 1998, being active around the mountain.

About 4,000 of Shans and Wa soldiers from the both armed groups are depending on these illegal business for their survival as long as they are alloted to base here by their high ranking leaders from Headquarters.

Only the majors and captains from each group command their soldiers and control their high income.

About 1,000 Burmese soldiers whose commanders must be friends with the cease-fire groups depend on the tax-payment from the Wa and Shan as well as from the wealthy Chinese-groups who run gambling dens business and brewery.

Two drug courier are able to carry 10,000 drug-pill, driving motorcycle from the mountain to the Thai border by gungle route.

The drug courier however have to hire the Shan motorcyclist who is familiar with the jungle route to avoid the Burmese security gates setting up for checking passengers who travel by cars and trucks loading with goods.

One amphetamine pill produced and sold by Wa army cost only 30 baht when sold it in border it would cost 100 baht.,the border price. A new revolver cost 40,000
baht and a new pistol coast 50,000 baht.

Both must be USA and Italy made as they preferred to use it than China made.

The used shot guns in good condition are also bought but cheap.

New or used short guns are collected in Mae Sai.

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 -

The Shan soldiers, in a dilema, had to make a decisive answer for their future after being no return of their leaders.

Synchronously, some returned to the strongholds in the northern Shan State while others joined the SURA (Shan United Revolution Army) headed by Moe Haing.

The news of brutal assasination of the three behaved by Fa Lung and Khun Sa had to be concealed as could as poosible to save their dignity.

The murder of the three might not satisfy the Burmese Military Ruler so that Khun Sa must carry on the killing.

The top leaders and high-ranking officers active in the SSA’s political wing and military-operation commanders were to be slain.

To carry out this assignment, Khun Sa needed more time to have a good chance for his gunmen who stand up to the enemy and are involed with gun-running as well.

Khun Sa had many chances to fatally shoot the SSA member one by one after the SSA was seperated into four groups.

(1) Group led by Col.Soe Tent made cease-fire with the Government, (2) Group headed by Col.Sam Mai joined Moe Haing’s SURA force, (3) Group of High-Ranking politicians included Sao Boon Dai, Sao Wai, Khun Jar Nu, Sao Seng Han and Soe Zung, all were not only highly educated from Rangoon University but also well talking in English, retired and stayed in Chiang Mai and, (4) Group being the armed soldiers under command of Col.Sai Lek continued armed struggle around Namp Kham and Mu Se aeras closed China border.

Another one, also important in the Shan Revolution Council and Commander in chief, was Sao Soe Leant, graduated in Political Science, with his wife and 5 children surrendered to the Government because of disappointed with disunity in the party as well as its influence had been diminished.

As the members in the Shan group were separated and staying in different places.

Therefore they were the target of shooting and coincidently the victims were negligent in assasination disposed by Khun Sa.

The consecutive assasination carried on in Chieng Mai as Shan leaders were shot down in different ocasions one by one.

The dead were Soe Zung, Sao Seng Han and Sao Boon Dai.

—– Related story to be continued —–

The Burmese Communist led a group of 700 Wa soldier was only moving around the south and southeastern areas of Keng Tong District linking with the Wa state and China border.

The Wa soldiers were inactive because of inadequate foods as well as become discouraged.

The Shan villagers did not accept the Communists and disliked the Red Wa troops as they were ruthless-tribe.

The Communists spent about 2 years in the SSA strongholds but failed to move towards to central Burma due to Chinese’s initial plan that was the urgency of political inspiration.

In the long run, the Chinese terminated its annual support to the Communist and the Wa troops retreated to their original territory while the Burmese politburo returned to China soil.

The Burma Communist Party (BCP) was completely defunct in 1973.

Its former top politburo included Tha Khin Ba Thein Tin, Tha Khin Tin, Tha Khin Than Thun, Tha Kin Mya and Gen. Kyaw Zaw sought asylum in China.

The Shan mission headed by Col. Sam Mong visited Chinese autorities in Kunmin City to receive arms and military weapons.

Col. Sam Mong was most wanted by the Burmese Government as he was rumored as being the ShanCommunist and strongman in the SSA army.

He was also known as military planner as well as a good leading fighter in his position of Divisional Commander.

The Burmese Regiments from the regional commands launched a continuous series attack on SSA’s strongholds bases in the north and central areas.

SSA suffered heavy causuality in the series bombard by the enemy.

Burmese also suffered dead and wounded in close-range ambushed by Shan guerillas.

The guerillas made prompt attacks on the Burmese troops while on patrol at dawn and the army trucks loaded on the soldiers in jungle routes following a swift change of plans.

The Burmese’s attempt failed to capture Col. Sam Mong. Later on, the Burmese had contacted Khun Sa for the murder of Strong-man am Mong.

— related story will be continued —

The Shan State Army (SSA) in between 1967-1976 had been the strongest force among the rebellion groups such as Burmese Communist Party, Ka Chin, Ka Ren Ni, Pao,Pa -Long, La Hu, Ka Yarn, Arican, Chin, Nar Ga, Wa (not the red Wa joined the Burmese Communists) and Mon, all of which are longstanding fighting for the freedom.

But the SSA compare with Ka Ren force KNU was smaller.

The KNU’ strengths were about 6000 while the SSA has only 3000 soldiers with arms.

The foregoing KNU had more military experience in the longrun fightings with the Government military invasions.

The military strongholds of the Shans in the northern, southern areas and Central Shan State were steadfast,but leaved out the eastern because there were many Mafia-like terrorist forces involved drugs trade were active.

The SSA soldiers had been able to take away many military equipments including M 16 rifles by frequent assaulted on the Burmese outpost-camps.

The SSA had financial problem to buy arms.

Numerous fightings between the Burmese and Shans bursted out throughout the year as the Shan force was believed to have been the Shan Communists being backed by the Chinese.

Infact, the SSA did not accept the Communist System but accepted the Chinese’s aid.

The Chinese, in order to support the longstanding Shan Nationalists being fought for the freedom, provided 2000 arms included pistols and M 21 assault-rifles to the Shan army.

Before received the arms, the Shan learders visited China as respecting to invitation of the Chinese authorities.

They were warm welcomed.

Chinese made huge military weapons were also shown up as a knowledge for useful to battle.

The Chinese at that time had no good relations with the Burmese tried to recruit the Burmese Communisti’strength.

What the Chinese was that let the communist party stay in the SSA.

The Shan State Army (SSA), which has been struggling for Shan Freedom as long as over 30 years, suffered from total lost by its miscount that providing assistances to Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han when they fled to SSA strongholds for temporarily shelter. (Following to stories of Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han)

Khun Sa and Lo Sin Han both of them were in anyway forced to tell the truth of the SSA’s strengths, arms, military equipments, etc and the strongholds’s whereabouts to the Burmese Junta.

The Burmese army had frequently launched out an attack the SSA’s longstanding strongholds and headquarters in the north and central State.

The strenth of 1500 with full arms from the strongholds and outposts seperatedly posed to attack the Burmese invaders.

Heavy fighting and Skirmish between the SSA rebells and the Gonernment had to be occurred when the Burmese military operations moved in on the SSA’s vast controlled areas.

The situation around the battle fields in north,south and central state had become quiet when the villagers fled to towns while some fled toThai border.

The villagers uncocerned with the politics had to be questioned and tortured by the Burmese soldiers.

Some villagers were died from gun shots during exanged fires.

Livestocks were also killed for foods.

Young women were raped.

Tens of thousands of houses left behind were burnt down.

This had been the burdensome for them.

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.”

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 –

The ex-war lord, however being the opium King Pin until his death, was warmly welcomed as a superb man by the Generals because of his thousands of military weapons cost millions of dollar were surrendered with peace.

So that he must be given a great concession for his further drug business and other trade-corporation up to occassional cause as he is being responsible for his subordinades.

Khun Sa provides cash payment to the Shan officials who yearslong work with him and give up politics.

Each received 10 milllion Burmese kyat from Khun Sa about 6-7 months later after the surrender.

The thousands of young boy who are to be fighters in the future returned home as nowhere to go, received nothing from Khun Sa except army uniforms left behind.

But many of them summoned by Yod Suk and Gun yod who made Khun Sa weaken.

“This is time for him to make a decision that makes peace with the Burmese, the downfall of his influence could not lead a peaceful existense anymore in the Shan State not only in boder. His military activity is apparently not against the Burmese, Shan Patriots who disobey their Chinese army commanders were assassinated and Khun Sa’armed troops commanded by the Chinese in frontline ignored the Burmese ruthlessly torture the innocent Shans wherever they made military operation in all seasons through out almost in southern and eastern state. Shans victims suffered from torture and lost their homes had to flee away. Such a danger conducted by the Burmese had never end during the Khun Sa’s 2 decades period of armed struggle to build his empire solely. The Shans hate Khun Sa’s selfishness and boring with his so called fighting for the Shan Freedom,” according to Major Koan Mong who visits Khun Sa in Rangoon after the surrender.

The Major had worked as Politician for long time in the party.

( related story will be continued )

In early January 1996 Khun Sa led his MTA army surrender to the Burmese after conntected Burmese Gen. Mong Aye, the second poweful in the Government after the Gen. Than Shwe, through Gen. Thein Sein who is trusted by Gen. Mong Aye and the right-hand man as well basing in Keng Tong, the Eastern Commander.

Khun Sa is informed to provide facility for security and safety by the Generals.

Tow or three days after the both sides negotiated on peace, Khun Sa, Fa Lung and Khun Seng, the top lerders of the MTA, were lifted by Military helicopter from the Ho Mong Headquarters and leaving for Rangoon.

Huge stockpile of military equipments and weapons were confiscated by the Burmese Army officials from the Eastern Command.

Hundreds of Burmese soldiers had spent for a week to check the situation of the Headquarters and the thousands of young Shan soldiers who were later sent to Taunggyi, the City of the Southern Shan State, for further negotiation.

But some of them mostly Chnese Haw and section commanders involved the drugs trafficking refused
to surrender and regrouped themselves into new group with well armed for further doing drugs business.

Also a large number of Shan nationalist-fighters commanded by Major Gun Yod is one group while another group is under leaderhip of Major Yod Suek refused to surrender their arms.

The armed gruop headed by Gun Yod is named as Shan State National Army (SSNA) and the other leading by Major Yud Suek later to be called the Shan United Revolution Army (SURA) continued further fightings against the Burmese invasion.

These breakaway Shan troops moved to the north by crossing Salween River to tie relationship with the other Natinalist groups as freedomly.

During marching to the north Shan State in late January 1996, the breakaway groups had been blocked and attacked by the Burmeses many times. The both sides suffered casualties.

(Worse Sitution in MTA Before the Surrender will be continued)