Never mind the shoddy parades of their seriousness in fighting the war against drugs, most of Burma’s generals are indisputably colluding with drug operators on the wanted lists of its neighbors, according to a new report released today by S.H.A.N.

Most prominent on Hand in Glove’s 64 pages is Lt-Gen Myint Hlaing, promoted in May to Air Defense chief, who had made his mark in the bloody suppression of the Mongkoe Defense Army in 2000 and the sweeping crackdown on military intelligence officers in 2004 that finally led to the downfall of Gen Khin Nyunt. The report says, as Commander of Northeastern Region Command (northern Shan State), he had been closely associated with well-known drug bosses such as Sai Tun Aye ‘So-so Pyay-Pyay’, Bo Mon and Panghsay Kyaw Myint, who also double as pro-junta militia leaders.

The report also gives profiles on 18 new faces other than those who are already familiar to lay watchers of Burma: Law Hsing Han, Khun Sa, Lin Mingxien and Wei Hsuehkang.

In addition, it discusses how, under Deputy Senior General Maung Aye, the militias are being favored over the ceasefire groups, once “blue-eyed boys” under Gen Khin Nyunt. “Militias have been formed under our supervision,” a colonel in eastern Shan State was quoted as telling a Lahu militia leader. “Ceasefire groups are merely enemies who have taken a break in the fighting against us.”

The report concludes:
·       As long as the junta’s principal focus is to get rid of the Opposition and not the welfare of the people
·       As long as pro-regime individuals and movements are granted immunity
·       As long as there is non-stop expansion of the army and the policy of self-reliance for military units
·       As long as there is widespread corruption that begins right from the top
“The ordinary people of Shan State should not be blamed for doubting whether the year 2015 will indeed bring a Drug Free Asean.”

Hand in Glove can be read at http//shanland.mongloi.org The booklet; which will be available in a week, is 100 baht ($ 2.50) including postage in Thailand. Prices for outside Thailand:
Price           Postage         Total
Asia    $ 2.50          $ 3.50            6
EU      $ 2.50          $ 4.50            7
US      $ 2.50          $ 5.50           8

Earlier publications Show Business: Rangoon’s War on Drugs in Shan State (2003) and Finding Neverland: The story of Yawngkha (2005) are also available at S.H.A.N.