Wa relocating people out of season

Wa relocating people out of season

The Wa have, for the first time in two years, violated their own policy of moving their people down south from the Chinese border only during the dry season to moving them also during the monsoons, said a source from the Thai border. 

On 29 July, 300 people arrived in Teusarn village, Maekin Tract, 15 miles south of Mongton. They were moved to Mongkhid, 3 miles east, again on 8 August. 

An 86-year old resettler told the source all his life he had never even ventured far from his village in the north. "The (Wa) soldiers trained their rifles at us and told us to get on board the trucks. We didn't even have time to collect our essential belongings," he said. "They told us we would receive assistance here, but from what we have heard from those who arrived before us, the assistance is only in name. They said many of them survived only through eating bamboo shoots, edible leaves and tuberous roots." 

All of them are leaving their fields and gardens behind, he said. 

The group was led by Ah Kaw, 47. 

According to Lahu and Shan sources, 1,000 families have been targeted for the monsoon relocations: 300 in Mongton, 200 in Monghsat and the rest in Tachilek and Monghpyak. 

About 1,000 had already arrived in Wianglarn, 40 miles north of Tachilek, on 22 July, said another source. 
The Wa program that reportedly aims to resettle 50,000 families within three years (1999 - 2002) has already passed its halfway mark, according to sources in the area. 

A Lahu source said, "On 17 December 2000 alone, they brought down 1,432 households (8,479 persons) to Mongton township's 8 villages between Mongharng and Border Pass-1 (Opposite Chiangdao District, Chiangmai Province). The transfers during the dry season, therefore, are quite swift."