National Reconsolidation : Shan State Mong Tai Army (MTA)
U Tun Lin
Shan State Mong Tai Army (MTA)
The Unconditional Surrender of the Shan State Mong Tai Army
http://www.myanmar.com/Arm_Peace/MTA.html
Photo - First Surrender Ceremony of the MTA Headquarters held in
Homong on (7-1-96).
From the time of the emergence of the Mong Tai Army (MTA) led by Khun
Sa tilll the time of its unconditional surrender, this group operated
from its bases in the principal opium cultivation areas of northern
and southern Shan State. In the year 1960-61, the Armed Forces formed
the Lwemaw militia group under the leadership of Khun Sa and assigned
it the task of suppressing armed insurgents in rebellion against the
Government.
Photo - Second Surrender Ceremony of the MTA Headquarters held in
Homong on (18-1-96).
This Lwemaw group steadily grew stronger while fighting the insurgents
but because they were short of cash for their daily needs they
established contact with the white Chinese (KMT) and became involved
in the illicit drug trade. The fact that the Government had begun its
drug eradication programme in 1964 and as well as its declaration of
some currency notes as illegal tender, caused the Lwemaw militia led
by Khun Sa to go underground. Then in 1966 it contacted the Armed
Forces saying that they were willing to fight the remnants of the
White Chinese Forces in the area. Thus in 1968 the Lwemaw group
regained Government recognition and standing as the No: 11
Anti-insurgent force in the Tanyang region. But this Lwemaw Defense
Force, because of its frequent infringement of the law, was ordered to
relinquish its arms. But Khun Sa procrastinated over the matter and
was therefore detained on 20 October 1969.
Photo - Commemorative Photo taken of MTA leaders and responsible
personnel after the surrender of MTA units in Loilan on 5-1-96.
Then his deputy Kyan Hsu Shin, with about 1600 members of the Lwemaw
group absconded and went underground. While Khun Sa was under
detention, members of this underground Lwemaw group kidnapped two
Russian physicians working for the Sao Sam Htun Hospital in Taunggyi
and as ransom demanded the release of Khun Sa. The Government refused
to comply, so the two physicians were taken to Thailand. In September
1974 Khun Sa obtained his release under the General Amnesty declared
by the Government. But on 7 February, 1976, he again went underground
and resumed leader ship of the underground Lwemaw group led by Kyan
Hsu Shin in his absence. He then reorganized the Lwemaw group as the
Shan United Army (SUA). The SUA from then onwards became wholly
implicated in illicit drug activities. In 1984 he attacked and seized
the remaining White Chinese camps in Hsan Kalan region as well as the
Pa-O (White) and the Wa National Army (WNA) insurgent camps in the
vicinity of Mae Aw. With effect from the beginning of 1985, the SUA
expanded its area of operations right up to the Myanmar-Thai border.
He also helped to finance the Shan United Revolutionary Army (SURA)
led by Moe Hein, which at the time was facing many difficulties in
obtaining arms and ammunition, and thereby forged closer ties. On 26th
March 1985 Khun Sa finally managed to persuade Moe Hein to join his
group.
Photo - Armed Forces Officers inspecting weapons surrendered by MTA
troops in Loilan area on 5-5-96.
On 7th May 1985, they formed the United Tai Liberation Army (UTLA) and
the United Shan State Patriotic Council (USSPC). Later, they also
declared the formation of an armed wing under the name of the Shan
State Army (SSA). This was however later remained the Mong Tai Army
(MTA) to avoid confusion with another armed group also known as the
Shan State Army (SSA) led by Sai Leik (Kala). In September 1989, the
vice-president of the SSA U Hsai Htin and his faction broke away from
his group and rejoined the legal fold leaving Sai Leik (Kala) and his
faction underground. The MTA, however, acclaiming the cause of Shan
nationalism maintained good relations with member of the National
Democratic Front (NDF) Sai Leik (Kala). On 23 April 1990, the Shan
State Army (SSA) at the Thai border led by Naw Mein Gyi joined the
MTA. Khun Sa declaring himself to be the champion of the shan cause
and exploiting the cause of freedom for Shan nationals, for solidarity
of the Shan State and Shan independence, then formed the Tseng Tai
United Committee and gobbled up Naw Mein Gyi’s group. Khun Sa’s MTA
had always been at odds with the Wa National Army led by Aik Shauk Si
and Maha Hsan and frequently clashed with them. But he managed to lure
away Maha Hsan in the name of Shan National unity and independence as
well as with a large sum of cash amounting to baht 15 hundred
thousand.
Photo - MTA troops in Mong Htaw/Mong Hta area surrender to the Armed
Forces on (15-1-96).
In March 1991, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of the United States
issued a warrant for the arrest of Khun Sa as an internationally
wanted criminal on narcotic drug charges. On 28th April 1991 Sai
Leik’s (Kala’s) SSA which had rejected the Government’s peace
initiatives joined the MTA. So Khun Sa had finally managed to organize
and enlist the last of the National Democratic Front - North (NDF) and
the remaining factions of the Shan State People’s Party (SSPP) as
part of his MTA force. After the death of Moe Hein, Khun Sa, Sai Leik
and Tar Kale, on 6th December 1991, formed the Shan State Restoration
Council (SSRC). On 10th June 1992, they abolished the USSPC and in its
stead formed a new organization, the Shan People’s Representative
Committee (SPRC). The MTA, in the name of Shan nationalism having
managed to organize the Shan peoples began to attack the remaining
groups of the SSA camps. By 1992, the MTA had grown so strong, that
the Armed Forces designated it as its primary target. Therefore
beginning from December 1992, the Armed Forces launched attacks on the
illicit drug camps of the M.T.A.
Photo - MTA troops in Naung Line area surrender to the government on
(23-1-96).
On 1st December 1992, a conference of the representatives of the Shan
State Assembly was held at Homong under the auspices of the SPRC. At
this conference the Shan State Restoration Council was formed with 27
central committee members, 21 members on the advisory council and Khun
Sa as chairman. Then a mass rally of elders of villages in the
vicinity, Buddhist monks and MTA members was held at Homong. This
rally declared the Shan State a sovereign independent nation, with a
Shan parliament of 35 members and Khun Sa as president. The Shan State
Restoration Council was also reorganized and re-formed. In April 1994,
Advisor on narcotic drugs to former president Jimmy Carter, Peter
Bourne, visited Khun Sa at the MTA headquarters in Homong. Peter
Bourne advised and urged Khun Sa to set up an independent Shan State
and to wage war against the Government with courage and determination
as a means of gaining international recognition.
Photo - MTA troops in Mone Hin/Mone Ha region surrender to the Armed
Forces on (25-1-96).
At Peter Bourne’s behest and encouragement, Khun Sa launched an
offensive against the Armed Forces camp at Mongkyut and stepped up
military operations. Of the many battles and clashes between the
Government Forces and the MTA, the battle of Mongkyut was one of the
most ferocious and one where the MTA suffered the highest casualties.
It left both the MTA leadership and its followers utterly devastated
and demoralized. Then problems on the issue of racial discrimination
arose between members of Chinese extraction and the Shan members
within the MTA. This led to the withdrawal and departure of Kan Ywet,
a young Shan with the rank of political commissar of No: 16 Brigade,
with a following of over 200 men in June 1995.
Photo - MTA troops who have laid down their arms being provided
transport by helicopter and truck to their homes.
MTA forces gave chase and attacked the groups that left and a
battalion commander discovered while making plans to leave was
summarily executed. This provoked Kan Ywet who had set up a group of
his own, the Shan State National Army (SSNA), and he issued a
communique urging Shan nationals to join his group. Many Shan and Bama
members left the MTA to join the SSNA till its ranks swelled to about
3,000 men.
Many circumstances in conjunction, resulted in Khun Sa’s decision to
surrender unconditionally. First, many Shan nationals had deserted the
MTA ranks, in addition to which the military situation had
deteriorated since becoming the prime target of attacks by Government
Forces.
Photo - Surrendered MTA Personnel being given stipends and temporary
registration cards.
Moreover, the ‘Wa’ armed groups were attacking the MTA with a
vengeance. So Khun Sa, having made his own observations became
increasingly convinced that not only were the Government’s policies,
but it was also implementing regional development programmes in
accordance with these policies with genuine goodwill and sincerity.
Added to all this was the shifting and changing political climate both
at home and abroad. All this combined together, prompted and endorsed
his decision to surrender. In August 1995 he first broached the
subject in a letter to the Director of the Defence Services
Intelligence through an intermediary, a merchant of Tachilek. The
Government’s rejoinder contained the following terms for the
surrender:
- That the surrender be unconditional.
- That after the surrender there would be no further involvement with
narcotic drugs of any sort.
- That Khun Sa and his men would live in accordance with arrangements
made by the government for their resettlement.
- That their security would be the sole responsibility of the
Government.
Khun Sa and Kyan Hsu Shin both pledged solemnly that, in the interest
of the country, the terms of their surrender would be entirely
different and should serve as an example to other armed groups. That
the entire MTA force including men, arms and ammunitions would all be
turned over to the Government. Video films and taped records of Khun
Sa and Kyan Hsu Shin affirming these pledges were then dispatched to
the leaders of the State.
Photo - Surrendered MTA Personnel being given stipends and temporary
registration cards.
To effect the surrender of the MTA, many top secret meetings and
parleys were held between representatives of the Defence Services
Intelligence and those of the MTA. In December 1995 a delegation from
the Defence Services Intelligence arrived at Homong to make the final
arrangements for the surrender. After these arrangements had been tied
up, army columns entered the Lwe Lan/Lwe Toon region; the Mong
Htaw/Mong Hta region and the Homong region to occupy key positions.
The first surrender ceremony was held in Lwe Lan on 5th January 1996.
Photo - Shwe Pyi Aye Village in Hpe Khone Township where surrendered
MTA personnel are being resettled.
Two similar ceremonies were held not long after at Homong, the MTA
Headquarters on 7th and 18th January respectively. Others surrender
ceremonies successively followed as follows:
- In the Naung Line/Hpar Tan region of northern Shan state on 23rd
January.
- In the Mong Hin/Mong Ha region on 25th January.
- At the town of Namhsan on 8th February.
- At WanIn the Lwe Toon/ Mong Kwan region on 12th, 13th, 14th, and
16th January.
- In the Mong Htaw/Mong Hta region on 15th and 26th January.
- I Hsin Village on 20th January.
- At the town of Mongpang on 9th February and
- At Tachilek on 30th January and 10th February.
Photo - Shwe Pyi Aye Village in Hpe Khone Township where surrendered
MTA personnel are being resettled.
These surrender ceremonies took place in areas scattered throughout
northern and southern Shan State. MTA units large and small contacted
the military authorities in command in the various regions to lay down
their arms. The number of MTA men who surrendered totalled 12,000 and
the assorted weapons handed over, including SAM-7 rocket launchers
totalled over 8,300. There were other latecomers who drifted in to
surrender in small groups or individually. Thus the figures today show
over 14,000 members who have surrendered with over 9,000 assorted
heavy weapons and small arms. After the surrender, Khun Sa himself, in
adherence to the pledges made, is living under Government supervision
and protection in an absolutely drug free environment. So, it was in
this manner that the world notorious drug warlord Khun Sa and his well
equipped and well armed MTA force that had survived and been active
for many years in the drug world, came to an end with an unconditional
surrender.