Thai government wants Shan army to pull out

Thai government wants Shan army to pull out

Thai project for Wa 

Shan State Army leaders are disturbed by the Thaksin government's repeated hints for them to withdraw from their areas surrounding Yawngkha, known to the locals as Nayao, where a crop substitution project is being planned for the Wa "newcomers" from the Chinese border.

"One of them, citing General Chavalit (Yongchaiyudh, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister) recently told us they would arrange for us to operate freely between Homong and Nakawngmu (opposite Muang District, Maehongson Province to Chiangdao District, Chiangmai Province)," said an army source. "The message is clear: they don't want us to operate around Monghsat, Mongyawng and Tachilek anymore."
Movements of Shan rebel units in these townships are directed by Lt-Col Kawnzuen, Commander of Kengtung Front, from Loi Kawwan, opposite Chiangrai province. Loi Kawwan is only a few miles from Nayao, Monghsat township. 

"Why should Bangkok allow the Burmese to single out Nayao when they have a whole lot of other areas to choose from?" complained the source.

Earlier, Sai Sywan from the SSA had written that helping the Wa to eradicate drugs was like nourishing a poisonous tree. "But if the Thai government believes drugs in this area can be eradicated without the SSA's participation, be it so. The SSA is ready to move away from those areas in order to avoid confrontation with our hosts." (9 February, Freedom News)

Col Yawdserk, leader of the Shan State Army, also told Bangkok Post on 7 February, "We are not an enemy of Thailand.... (but) Thaksin will not be able to win the war against narcotic drugs, if he fails to tackle the root cause of the problem."

What was needed, he said, was to stop the current acts of repression against non-Burman groups in Burma, followed by the recognition of the rights and freedom of these peoples.

"Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army used to be the strongest of all rebel groups, yet it surrendered to Rangoon without a fight, because Thailand stopped the supplies from going into his territory. I would like you to remember that if you refused to comply," the source quoted the Thai official as saying.

Human rights activists, in the meanwhile, are worried that the proposed Thai project will target the Wa resettlers and not the original inhabitants who have been displaced by the Wa relocation program.
According to a Lahu report on the program, due to be released next month, the resettlement of more than 100,000 Wa in the southern townships has already displaced nearly 20,000 people in the area.