Latest reports on the shooting that took place two days ago at the notorious Golden Triangle on the Mekong indicate that Chinese cargo boats were fired upon by the Burma Army and not the “tax-collectors” of "Druglord" Naw Kham.
According to two reports coming to SHAN this morning, the 4 Chinese boats were being stopped at an island in the river by Naw Kham’s men to demand protection money, when they were attacked by the Burmese patrol. One of the boats was hit by an M 79 grenade launched by the patrol, said the reports that came separately, one through a pro-junta militia source and the other from a border security source.
Followers of Naw Kham, who has been running a protection racket in the area for over a year, managed to escape during the hullabaloo.
Both reports appear to be have been supported by a prior story filed by the Manager Online at 12:26 on18 February.
Map from www.hobotraveler.com
According to it, the surviving crew members had initially planned to have their injured inmates treated at Thailand’s Chiangsaen, 15 km further down, where facilities are better. However, the Burmese army had instead ordered them to move the wounded to Mongphong on the Burmese side with limited facilities, resulting in the death of one crew member. “The commander must have been trying to cover up his mistake,” remarked the border security source.
Nevertheless, a third report coming from a Lao source still repeated the same story reported earlier, that the Chinese boats were fired upon by Nawkham’s men because they (the boats) refused to stop to allow boarding by them (Naw Kham’s men).
The ASTV Manager Online yesterday reported that the Joint Committee on Coordination of Commercial Navigation on the Lancang – Mekong River (JCCCN) may be meeting earlier than May to discuss appropriate protective measures against recurrence of such incidents.
For further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at:
Shan Herald Agency for News
P.O. Box 15
Nonghoi P.O
Chiangmai 50007
Thailand
e-mail: <shan@cm.ksc.co.th>
Ph: 66-81-5312837
Website:
www.shanland.org (English)
www.mongloi.org (Shan)
www.mongloi.org/burmese (Burmese)
Dear Swahamon,
ReplyDeleteThis is a webmaster of Stamford International University. The link from your site to STIU (http://www.stamford.edu/@web_huahin/index.aspx) doesn't exist anymore as our site structure has changed drastically.
Will you be kind enough and make it point to http://www.stamford.edu please :)
It'll also be great if you can add the word International between the words "Stamford" and "University.
Thank you,
Sourjya
webmaster@stamford.edu