Hundreds of Burmese soldiers are reported to have arrived along the border with the United Wa State Army (UWSA)-held territory following several disputes that had developed between them, according to reliable sources from the Sino-Burma border.
Over 1,000 Burmese soldiers from Lashio, Tangyan and Monghsu were sent to Kunlong-Hopang, Takawng-Et and Tawansom, said a source.
In mid January, the Burmese Army and the UWSA had disputes over the territorial boundary between Panglong and Hopang, northern Shan State.
The Burmese Army accused UWSA that its troops had trespassed over their operative sector and told them to withdraw from the area.
There is a motor road between Panglong and Hopang administered by the Burmese Army in the west and the UWSA in the east.
Both sides keep sending their forces to the area as the dispute between them become more strained.
Another was the dispute over the planned bridge construction at Taweungieng, east of Monghsu Township, where the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) has been using to cross into the Wa region, said a source.
Last week, over 200 Burmese soldiers from Tangyan along with a truck carrying construction materials arrived in Taweungieng near the Salween River.
The Burmese soldiers started to build a bridge over the crossing to the Wa region. But Wa officials warned them that there could be a fight between them if the Burmese Army refused to stop, said a source.
Concerning the Burmese Army's containment policy on the UWSA, some border watchers analyzed that there could be three reasons:
The Burmese Army was not satisfied with the UWSA when it designated its territory as the "Wa State Government Special Region" without a prior agreement.
The 89 kg heroin seizure in Rangoon on 25 January was reportedly owned by a Chinese businessman, close to the UWSA.
Since then he was said to be hiding in UWSA territory.
The last is to cut off geographical links between the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) and the Wa.
In the meantime, the Wa side has also been instructing their checkpoints along its border to be stricter.
"Now the Namteuk Bridge on the Namting cannot be crossed at will as in the past," said a trader. "Its closed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The measure may be good for security but bad for business."
