Hundreds of households located in valleys and jungles in Shan State South’s Kunhing township, where the military junta is extending its new regional command ‘Middle East’, were given a tall order by their local authorities, to relocate to areas nearby and along the motor road ...
Hundreds of households located in valleys and jungles in Shan State South’s Kunhing township, where the military junta is extending its new regional command ‘Middle East’, were given a tall order by their local authorities, to relocate to areas nearby and along the motor road, according to local villagers.
The villagers were told to move by the end of this month, March. The order came out on 9 March, when local village headmen were summoned to meet Major Kyaw Zaw of local-based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) # 246.
“We were ordered to inform the villagers who are living in the jungle and far away from main thoroughfares, to move and resettle on the motor road between Taunggyi and Shan State East’s Kengtung at the earliest possible time. The deadline is March 31,” said a village headman who also participated in the meeting.
According to him, the villagers were told to resettle at areas between Lai Kam and Kongpawng villages, where it is difficult to get water. “It takes 3 to 4 hours walking to fetch the water,” said a villager who was already there.
The villages that were ordered to relocate were Nam Tawd, Naloi, Kanghart, Pangpao, Monglin and Nawngtao. They all have around 200 households. These villages were forced to relocate once when the military junta launched its “Four Cuts” campaign: cutting food, funds, information and recruits and an additional: communication routes of the rebel groups during 1996-1998 periods.
Alike the 1996-1998 period, some Thai-Burma border watchers commented that this action is also believed to launch another “Four Cuts” on the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’ as the group had opposed to Nyapyitaw border guard force (BGF) program.
The two sides have already fought at least 10 times since the SSA rejected to accept BGF in 2009. The latest fight took place yesterday in Monghsu township, following the junta’s reinforcement to the SSA controlled areas.
Report of the fighting came out again today at 13:40 (local time) in Shan State North’s Tangyan township, according to sources from SSA. No further details are available as the fighting is still going on at this time of reporting.
“The Burma Army is not only cutting communication lines between the SSA North and the Wa,” said Yawdserk, leader of the SSA South, but also between the SSA North and the SSA South.”
