Lieutenant General Yawd Serk, the leader of the Shan State Army-South, talks with Mizzima. Jai Wan Mai asks him about his split with drug trafficker Kun Sa, the DKBA army, how to stop the drug trade, is the SSA preparing for war, the importance of ethnic independence and drug trafficking among cease-fire groups.

Q: First of all, why did you pick Loi Tai Leng for your headquarters?

A: We looked at the geography and surveyed the area. Geographically, it is a high mountain and it has an upper hand in a battle time. Another thing is to train our fighters and to shore up our force.

Q: Prior to that, you used to be with Kun Sa. Why didn’t you  surrender with him?

A: Kun Sa was another group (Shan United Army-South) before we joined together. We are the followers of Sao Korn Jeung (or Mo Heing), who was the leader of the Shan United Revolutionary Army (SURA). When we joined together, we had different political objectives. Originally, Kun Sa was a businessman before he became involved in politics. Sao Korn Jeung was mainly focused on the politics. I had followed Sao Korn Jeueng since I was 16 years old. We were different than Kun Sa.

We joined the resistance due to our love for our nation. When Kun Sa surrendered, we did not join with him because to join the resistance means you don’t  surrender. With or without Kun Sa, we will continue with our work. That is why we did not surrender.

Q: Now, the fights between the DKBA and Burmese troops are taking place on the border near Mae Sot, Thailand. What about the SSA and the Burmese regime, will there be bigger fights?

A: It is very clear whether the Burmese regime is good or bad. The DKBA in fact cooperated and made a cease-fire with the Burmese regime. However, when the regime was not sincere, the DKBA  bravely fought back against the regime. At this point, I am respect very much the DKBA bravery and their love for their nation and their country. The fights between the SSA and Burmese troops have continued and have been going on since Kun Sa surrendered in 1996. Ever since, more or lest, fights have taken for 13 years.

Q: On the Shan-Thai border, it has been two to three years, since you had big fights. In the future, will  Burmese troops attack the SSA?

A: In 2000-2001, we had intensive fights along the border. The fights took place because there were too many drug refineries along the Shan-Thai border. When we set up our bases along the border, we established a policy against the narcotics drug. At that time, we fought against the drug traffickers. However, when the drug traffickers  work along  with the Burmese regime, we had to fight the Burmese regime too. At that time, we did not have a military plan to attack the Burmese regime on the border. That was a fight against the drug. At the moment, the fights on the Shan-Thai border have stopped because there are no drug refineries along the border.

Q: What about inside Shan State?

A: There are still many drug refineries inside Shan State. What I mean is there is no drug refineries along the border. Opium is still blooming and people grow more poppy than before.

Q: Then, how you intend to solve the drug problems?

A: The drug problem is not the only Shan State problem but a problem that affects the people in the world. The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS; a political wing of the SSA) has a policy with four points:

First, if the international community wants to eradicate  drugs, it must help to solve the political conflicts between the Shan opposition groups and the Burmese regime. Today, the Burmese regime governs the country. The drug problem  takes place under nose of the Burmese regime. Therefore, the international community must help to solve the political conflicts. It must help the people here get the rights to govern the country and have the rights to eradicate the drugs.

Second, the RCSS have all the names of the poppy growers. But we are not strong enough to take full action against them. We have to find crop substitutions for the villagers. Improve their livelihood. We have to find markets for the crop substitution.

Third, we have to set up schools for young children and educate them about the drug problem. Today, many Shan youth do not realize the danger of drugs and many are drug addicted. The Burmese also share that responsibility. Therefore it is important to have schools to educate the adults and children on drug problems.

Fourth, we must cooperate with the international community to eliminate drug traffickers. The drug traffickers are not living inside Shan State, but they live abroad. The drug prices are increasing because the foreign drug traffickers pay high prices. Also, many villagers  do not know what to do except grow poppy. It is easy to grow and it earns good prices.

Therefore, without the cooperation of the international community, it is impossible to eradicate drugs. Briefly, all the problems are due to the Burmese authorities. It is not due to ethnic and opposition groups.

Q: How much cooperation is there between the international community and your group on the drug issue?

A: We have been holding out our hand to the international community to solve the problem for more than 10 years. Today, we stand on our own feet and try to eradicate the drug. No one helps us directly eradicate the drugs. We have met with the US Drug Enforcement Agency,  but the DEA has a different policy. That policy is to arrest people. They do not have a policy on how to change people. I told them, their policy will not solve the drug problem.

Q: Previously, you have said that the political conflicts must be solved before the drug problem can be solved.

A: Yes, the political problems inside the federal Union of Burma must be solved.

Q: What are the political conflicts between the Shan and the regime and how can you  solve them?

A: The cause of the problem is due to the military dictatorship. The Burmese regime governs the country by military force. This is the main problem. The reason behind governing the country with its military force is to control the whole and transform it into a unique land of Burmans. The federal union of Burma includes the eight ethnic states. But the Burmese regime does not want to form the country with eight ethnic states. Because of that, the problems started. Now ethnic states such as Shan, Mon, Kachin, Karen and Karenni are rebelling against the Burmese regime because they want to have self-governance, the right to govern their national affairs independently. It is the goal of every ethnic armed opposition group.

Q: Then, what is your perspective on a second Panglong congress which Aung San Su Kyi and other ethnic groups are calling for?

A: It is easy to talk about a second Panglong congress but it will be difficult to implement it. It is important to understand the mistakes of the first Panglong Agreement. I understand that the Burman leaders were at fault after the first Panglong Agreement. The Burman leaders did not keep their promises. In the agreement, the Burmans agreed not to interfere with the ethnic internal affairs, but the Burmese leaders used military forces and abused Shan State people continuously. And this was the biggest mistake. Therefore, it would  not be easy to implement a second Panglong Agreement.

Q: Today, you are building up the Shan State Army. Are you going to fight for independence?

A: Today, Shan State is already a separate country. It was separated when the Burmese military seized the country with their military forces. Moreover, when we joined with Burma to get independence from the British, we based it on our ethnic state status. Since the military seized the power, the 1959 constitutions are all destroyed. The Panglong Agreement also becomes useless because the Burmese leaders failed to keep their promises. Therefore, Shan State is a separate country. We must have the power to govern our own country.

Q: Now the Thai government is more focused on the economy than the historical problems. Previously, the Thai governments have also invested a lot in Burma. At this point, will the Thai government focus more on economy benefits than the historical issues?

A: Thailand is an independent country. Thailand has a responsibility to develop its country and to improve the livelihood of its citizens. This is their work. We have no rights to say anything to them. To invest in Burma is based on a relationship between countries. Besides Burma, they also have a relationship with other countries, such as China, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Moreover, they also have relationships with countries around the world. To be able to develop its country, they will do whatever they can. That is their business.

Q: The 64th Shan State National Day was celebrated recently. Was it a success?

A: Regarding the Shan State National Day, some people understand and some don’t. I want to say that the Shan State National Day was not only on  February 7, 1947. That day was to commemorate the Panglong Conference. Before, the Shan Saophas (princes) were not united but on that day, the princes were united. The princes and Shan leaders were united, and they  formed the Shan State Council to govern  Shan State. We can also say that it was a day when all the Shan State ethnicities were united.

The Shan State flag was also created on day. After forming the Shan State Council, General Aung San also participated in the conference. Aung San and the Shan State Council held talks and agreed to form the Federal Union of Burma. Without that day, the Federal Union of Burma would not exist, and there would not be an Independence Day on February 12 for Burma either.

Q: What is your message to the Shan people?

A: It is important for all people in Shan State to understand that it is the Shan State National Day. Shan State means we have a state with clear boundary. Nation means the people who were born here regardless of their race, may it Shan, Pa-O, Wa, Palaung, Ahkar or Lahu. Second, I would like people to understand that Shan Day not only concerns people here, but it concerns all the people of Burma. If we respect our flag that means we respect the spirit of it. We respect the leaders who have tried to form the union of Shan State and the federal Union of Burma. I want everyone to understand like that.

Q: What is your response to the International Community and Burmese regime’s accusations that SSA is involved in the drug trade?

A: They would assume and think like that by looking at us  from the outside. The best thing is when we invite them to stay with us here and check to see whether SSA is  involve with drugs or not. Anyone can make accusations. We can finger point at each other. To wipe out their doubts, it is better for them to come, observe and talk. Moreover, they should come and see the lives of the Shan State people and the situation of the SSA. Where does the SSA get the funds? Therefore, it is important for them to come and see.

Q: What about the cease-fire groups.  Are they involve in the drug business?

A: It is difficult to say because the drug traffickers are staying with the militia forces. Besides, the Burmese regime gives full support to this group. Because the militia forces are the tools for the regime and the regime uses them. The regime wants to use them and at the same time, they also want to work on their business.

Now, all the drugs are mainly from the militia forces. The cease-fire groups also cannot deny their involvement with drugs if they stay with Burmese troops. But, they were free to do whatever they want. In addition, business people also stay with the cease-fire groups. We cannot say they some people are not involved.