Two firms owned by Burmese billionaire Tay Zaw recently made a 70M Kyat (US $82,000) donation to support Burma army troops taking part in offensives against the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). Tay Zaw Tay Za, who also owns Htoo Trading, has extensive business interests in both Kachin State's jade and timber industries, and well known for his close ties to the former Than Shwe's military regime.
Earlier this year, senior representatives of Air Bagan and Asia Green Development Bank Limited, both owned by Tay Zaw, presented military officials a cheque at a ceremony held in the Naypyidaw capital.
Leaked US diplomatic cables suggested that Tay Za has profited from facilitating weapon's deals with Burma's army. Rangoon-based US diplomats wrote in the June, 2009, cable that “rumors abound that Tay Za has long smuggled Chinese weapons into Burma via his aviation and trading businesses” .
