The Wa Relocations

The Wa Relocations

Tens of Thousands of Wa waiting to be relocated

Travelers who came through Panghsang, the Wa capital near Chinese border two weeks ago, said they saw tens of thousands of people outside the town in temporary shelters waiting to be transported to the Thai border in Mongton Township.

"The townspeople told us these people were forced out from mountain villages," one said. "Not all of them were Wa. We saw many Lahus, Chinese and even some Shans among them."

Chinese among Wa resettlers

Another source from Mongton, interviewed by S.H.A.N. this morning about Chinese citizens mingling with Wa resettlers, said "Not all of them are Hans (ethnic Chinese) although many of them are. Like in Thailand, Laos and else where, China also has many hilltribes who, finding a Chinese yuan has more value in Burma than in China (1 yuan is roughly 50 kyats) and that law is laxer and easier on the hilltribes, have been moving into the Wa region. Many Chinese also come because in Burma there is no restrictions on the number of children you can have as in China."

Hawk, S.H.A.N. reporter, reported from Fang of finding several Wa and Chinese holding Thai identity cards. "In the village of Ban Nawngphai (87 households) in Mornpin Tract alone, we found at least 15 Wa and Chinese, who by marrying local Lahu women, have automatically become Thai citizens, because Thai laws favor hilltribes over Shans, their own cousins."

S.H.A.N. source in Mongton added "You can therefore expect more and more Chinese and Chinese hilltribes coming along with the Wa in the coming years."

Border Township becoming crowded

Mongton, the township opposite Chiangdao and Wianghaeng districts, Chiangmai Province, have suddenly become a crowded area following recent influx of Wa people from the north, according to local sources.

Since New Year, hundreds of trucks had been coming into the township through Mongpiang and Monghsat to unload thousands of their hilltribe people in Shan villages scattered throughout the township. The flow eased only towards the end of the second week of January.

Sang Zing, a local source, said he was told up to 8,000 households (about 40,000 people) were to be relocated in the area. (Another source however said the target number of households was 5,000.)

"Even villages across the border, Na Mark-Lwe and Nawng Htalang, have become packed with hundreds of newcomers," said a Thai source.

The farthest village in the west so far resettled by the Wa is Mongjawt, between Monghta and Nakawngmu, the village on the Mongton - BP1 highway. Sang Zing said he saw at least 100 new households there.