Shans deny holding up seized cars

General

Shans deny holding up seized cars

Reporters: Hawkeye and Pegasus

Shan State Army "South" of Col Yawdserk has disclaimed reports of its units blockading a road to prevent government-confiscated vehicles from reaching Kengtung yesterday.

Sources said their caravan of 82-seized automobiles leaving Tachilek was held up at the Pa-zauk-kway (U-shaped bend) near Monghpyak by an armed group who had cut down trees to seal off traffic. There was some shorting in which a Shan driver was reportedly killed. The Burma Army personnel who were hired by their erstwhile owners then told civilian drivers all of them were returning to Tachilek.

"I don't understand why the SSA did it, if it was the SSA", said a source who admitted he was only repeating what the soldiers, who were attired in civilian garb themselves, told them. "What are they planning to get out of it?"

Lt-Col Kawnzeun, Commander of the SSA's Kengtung Front, based in Loi Kawwan, opposite Chiangrai province's Mae Fa Luang district, denied having a hand in the incident. "We didn't lose any cars," he insisted.

Burmese authorities in eastern Shan State have of late been seizing even cars belonging to the temples. Prior to that, the country-wide crackdown that began in October had only been homing in on unregistered secular vehicles.

According to some reports, more than 10,000 unregistered cars were seized in eastern Shan State, 3,270 from Tachilek district alone. There are 4 districts in eastern Shan State: Kengtung, Tachilek, Monghpyak and Monghsat.