A fire broke out in the United Wa State Army (UWSA)’s Southern Region Commander, Wei Hsuehkang’s petrol station and teak warehouse in Panghsang, on April 18, injuring 2 men and destroying 4 trucks, according to a source from Panghsang.
The fire raged for about 21 hours, from 09:18 on April 18 to 06:00 of the next day, until two buildings were razed to the ground, as it could not be extinguished.
“It could not be estimated how much damage the fire had done, but all over 1,000 tons of teak were burnt down,” the source said. The fire started from sparks, from the welding being done by two men of the commander, the source added. They were reportedly working near the petrol station and the flame quickly spread to the petrol tanks.
“The two men are currently hospitalized,” the source said.
Earlier, there were suspicions that this blaze could have been sabotage by unknown opponents. “Fortunately, it happened outside the town, not downtown,” the source said.
It happened a day after the Wa people celebrated their 20th Anniversary of the Revolt against the Communist Party of Burma (CPB), on April 17.
Many of its ceasefire alliances along the China-Burma border, including the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), the Kachin Independent Organization (KIO) and the Shan State Army (SSA) “North” and many others had attended the ceremony, including representatives of the military junta.
However, it was attended by only low-ranking Burmese officers, unlike the 10th anniversary in 1999, when high-ranking officials led by Gen Khin Nyunt himself, attended the ceremony.
A Wa officer commented that they [the Wa] felt sorry about the junta’s low profile participation.
“Maybe they [the Burmese junta], do not feel friendly towards us anymore. However, we do not want to have enemies. We only want to be friends with all,” he said.
There are about 80 military and civilian personnel in downtown Panghsang, for 20 years since 1989.
The Wa and Gen Khin Nyunt reportedly had an agreement on allowing junta presence in the Wa capital.
“According to the agreement, the Wa has the right to fix the number of junta personnel and the kind of weapons they can carry inside their domain,” Professor Worasak Mahatanobol from Chulalongkorn University told a conference in Chiangmai on 30 November, 2002.
The relations between the two have strained, especially after a number of heavy weapons were found in an overturned Burma Army truck, on its way to Panghsang on January 18.
