Six trucks plying on Burma's main Mandalay-Muse trade route were forcibly stopped and made to transport tons of arms and rations for Burmese troops stationed near the ethnic Wa rebel territory in Northeast Shan State, said sources close to truck owners.
The six trucks carrying tons of Chinese goods heading for Mandalay from the 105 Mile Border Trade Zone in Muse, opposite the Chinese border trade town of Ruili (also called Shweli in Burmese) were stopped at Hsenwi before crossing the Burmese Army's Ye Bu gate by troops from the local base at dawn on September 29, a truck owner said.
The 12-wheel UD Nissan trucks left the Border Trade Zone on September 28. They were halted and brought inside the military compound. All the Chinese goods on the trucks were off loaded and were replaced with armaments and rations, added the truck owner.
In the evening, the trucks took away several tons of arms and rations from the Hsenwi military base to the Burmese military camps near Hopang, the territory of the ethnic United Wa State Army (UWSA) through the Hsenwi-Kunlong car road, according to truck owners.
The six truck drivers had to refuel with money from their pocket and headed for the Burmese Army camps near the UWSA's Hopang, a truck owner in Muse told KNG.
These trucks mainly transport 35 to 40 tons of Chinese goods from the 105 Mile Border Trade Zone to Mandalay. The owners earn around 400,000 Kyat (US$381) in one go after deducting refueling costs and paying tax to Burmese army gates en route, according to truck owners.
This is too low to be counted because they have to pay over 300,000 Kyat (US$286) for a wheel, if they are broken during the journey, added truck owners.
When the trucks go back to Muse for picking up Chinese goods from Mandalay, losses worth 50,000 Kyat (US$48) is incurred every time. This is because they have to pay tax at every Burmese Army gate en route.
According to people in Northeast Shan State, the Burmese Army has started to use civilians and trucks as carriers--- transporting arms and rations to Kokang and UWSA territories after they captured the territory of Kokang ceasefire group also called the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in August.
Now, drivers are apprehensive of plying trucks on the route and about 300 trucks loaded with Chinese goods have stopped in the 105 Mile Border Trade Zone and are not departing for Mandalay, said eyewitnesses.
