Gandar Mount P.S.O

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 —–

Khun Sa’s Army eventully managed to build strong bases along the Thai border, from the Mae Hong Son district to Golden Triangle via Mai Sai district of Chieng Rai, after the KMT was expelled.

The 10,000 of MTA with well military equipment however protect the vast areas surrounding the south and east of the Shan State.

In addition the main KMT’s role is guarding the popyfields while ruthlessly welding a union among the array of Shan Nationalist factions.

Khun Sa’s financial and business-like officers laundering profits through Thai banks and legitimate business.

During era of MTA, the Thais have put abounty on his head.

But Moe Haing is being under pressure of Khun Sa although roles in political wing.

He is not only involved in the military activity but also no connection with his subordinates in frontlines who have been forced to attack the Wa troops and other nationalist groups including Go Gang, Pa long, Shan and Lahu.

Hundreds of More Haing’s soldiers are dead in battle fields during about 9 years of joined armies.

It has been to be doubted that the dead soldiers are secretly shot by theChinese army commanders in battle fields.

Moe Haing has not been reported about the dead soldiers.

He may know later after months-long as he based in Mai Soong headquarters near Chieng Dao border, his original based-camp, while Khun Sa is basing in Ho Mong headquarters oppposite Mae Hong Son border.

Moe Haing meets Khun Sa when the meeting is held in Ho Mong base.

To this day there have been no known battles between the Government and MTA headed by Khun Sa-Moe Haing, leading most sources to beleive that Khun Sa has always had a working agreement with the Burmese Rulers.

The MTA is just to guard the opium business and the Burmese do not consider it as a threat. The KMT force was fought and driven from the Thai border opposite Mae Mae Hong Son and Chieng Dao districts in1985.

After that business connection had to be lost between the MTA and BCP for months. Wa tribe force under the BCP’command is fighting with MTA as months long for control of the heroin rutes and the 20 laboratories lining Shan, Lao and Thai borders.

The KMT leaders and their subordinates members settled down in Fang, Mae Sa Long and Chieng Dao and quited the drugs business.

The soldiers of the TRA, about 800 men equiped well arms, were sent to the north Shan State to battle the Wa as the Wa army has withdrown from the BCP’s political movement and made an agreement of cease-fire with Burmese Government.

The Wa leaders named their force as UWNA United Wa National Army (Called as Regional Defense Force ,not involve with the Political activity aganst the Burmese) and doing the opium and heroin trade while the opium produces hugely in the Wa State.

KHun Sa’s plan is to attack the Wa and to rob their raw opium in Salwin River and important transit point and routes of shipment between Wa State Thai border oposite Fang district where heroin refinery is based and controlled by Way Brothers Haw chinese entrepreneurs.

The TRA soldiers disagree Khun Sa’s order and consider to break away.

(Khun Sa’s dilemmar and crisis that leading him to surrender to Burmese Junta will be continued)

National interests presumably mean safe-guarding the sovereingnty of the TRA (Tai Revolution Amy) which stood in his way; the stage set for a violent showdown or apolitical settalment while Khun Sa claims to be a scapegoat and potrays himself as a Shan nationalist fighting for the freedom of his people. With the inclusion of the SUA, the TRA’s policy was a sham Khun Sa would use the “clean image” of Moe Haing to camouflage on going narcotic activities wile could retire under the protective umbrella of the numerically superior SUA forces.

At that time, high ranking TRA officials believed that while Khun Sa had accepted the TRA’s plan for the control and eradication of narcotic drugs it was under stood that he would continue “a limited involvement with narcotics for an indefinite period”.

However,according to Khun Sa admits, the revolutions cost big money, 12 million baht amonth, to maintain the 15,000 Shan troops armed regulars.

So the drug business must be continued as well as preserving our strength of force and recruiting it.