Follow-up news concerning the attack on Myanmar Army Posts by SURA drug trafficking insurgents who were given heavy artillery support by Thai military units on the Myanmar-Thai Border.

[ 21-5-2002 ]

 
Col. San Pwint extends greeting at the press conference with local and foreign correspondents.

A press conference attended by local and foreign news correspondents was held at the Armed Forces Guest House on Inya Roadat 9.45 a. m. today. This is the follow-up of the press briefing given yesterday on the attack on Myanmar Army posts on the Myanmar-Thai border by the SURA drug trafficking group with supporting artillery fire of Thai Army forces.

Minister for labor U Tin Win, Vice Chief of the Defence Services Military Intelligence Headquarters Maj. Gen. Kyaw Win, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Minister for Information Brig. Gen. Aung Thein, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig. Gen. Thura Myint Maung, high-ranking military and government department officials, responsible officials of the News and Periodicals Department of the Ministry of Information, correspondent of Kyodo News Agency U Sein Win, Patron of the Myanmar Foreign Correspondents Club U Hla Htwe and member correspondents were all present on the occasion.

 
Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win extends greeting
at the  press conference with local and foreign correspondents.

The Press Conference opened with a briefing by Deputy Head of Department of the Ministry of Defence Col. San Pwint who recounted the events that took place yesterday. He recalled how, at 4.06 o'clock on the morning of 20 May, two small Myanmar Army outposts Pan Kant Kaw and Nyaungbin Kon on the Myanmar-Thai border were first shelled with heavy artillery by the Thai military outposts facing them and how during the shelling the SURA drug trafficking terrorists came sneaking in from the Thai side of the border and attacked the Myanmar Army outposts, Pan Mong Song, Nyaungbin Kon and Yan Paing Song. And further that at 7.10 a.m. the same day Thai military tanks arrived at the Thai outposts opposite the Myanmar Pan Kant Kaw and Nyaungbin Kon Camps and began firing on them with tank artillery at 7.30 a.m. The tanks halted fire at 8.30 a.m. but the Thai military posts continued their attack with heavy artillery. These were the events that took place yesterday on the morning of 20 May.

Map showing Thai attack at the Myanmar-Thai border.

But the attacks have not been called off and have been going on up to now, on the morning of 21 May and our Myanmar forces are driving back the intruding enemies with counter-offensives.

In recent days some Thai media agencies have been issuing false and deliberately fabricated news concerning Myanmar.

They have reported falsely that during the recent goodwill visit to Thailand of Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services General Maung Aye, the Thai side informed the General of their plan for the Thai Army to launch an assault on the headquarters of the 'Wa' armed group which they claimed was involved in the narcotic drug trade; but that General Maung Aye had made no protest on being so informed. This report was published in the 20 May issue of the Nation newspaper. Likewise the 19 May issue of the Nation included the report that Thai Prime Minister Thaksin himself had authorized the formation of a Special Thai Military Force that is now ready and on alert to commence an attack on 'Wa' territory.

A report of the Reuters News Agency telecast by the CNN on 20 May also stated that in the past week, a high-ranking Thai official had revealed that there was a plan for the Thai Army to attack and seize the 'Wa' Headquarters located on Myanmar territory near the border.

The Myanmar Government categorically denies the claim that General Maung Aye during his goodwill visit had voiced no objections on being informed that the Thai military planned to attack the 'Wa' Headquarters in Myanmar territory. This report is false and has absolutely no foundation.

We wish to hereby affirm most strongly and emphatically that Myanmar shall not stand by to allow any armed force of any foreign country whatsoever to enter Myanmar sovereign territory.

Map showing Thai attack at the Myanmar-Thai border.

We also wish to state that planning and making arrangements to intrude into another country is indeed a most unfriendly act by a neighbouring country.

General Maung Aye made the visit to Thailand at the invitation of Prime Minister Thaksin to forge stronger ties of friendship between the two countries.

Map showing Thai attack at the Myanmar-Thai border.

But the present reports and news published and broadcast by the Thai media demonstrate a lack of integrity, honesty and mutual regard and respect.

If, as the Thai media report, there are plans afoot to enter and assault the sovereign territory of another country, then I am sure that the correspondents present here will surely agree that it is indeed a violation of the rules and conventions to be observed by neighbouring countries.

The 19 May issue of the Bangkok Post also implied in its report, that the Myanmar Army, as part of its narcotic drug interdiction campaign was separately exerting pressure on the 'Wa' national group. It further went on to implicitly suggest that the Myanmar Army was singling out the 'Wa' national races and putting pressure on them in its efforts at suppression and control of narcotic drugs. It went on to further insinuate that our Myanmar Army was employing its troops to mop up the above-mentioned region and that the Thai side had also dispatched many troops to the said border to take part in operations after advanced coordination with the Myanmar side. It was a sly allusion as if the two sides had agreed to these measures after consultations and co-ordination. The fact of the matter is that there has been no such mutual agreement or consultations of the sort implied in the news reports. Myanmar is most certainly stepping up its countrywide campaign against narcotic drugs as a "National Task", and it has especially concentrated on the towns of Tachilek, Myawaddy and Kawthoung with the goal of transforming them into drug free zones. However in implementing these drug eradication measures, there has been no racial discrimination or oppression between the 'Wa' and 'Shan' or any of the other national races nor has pressure been put on any one group. The truth is that all the national race peace groups have of their own accord been cooperating with our Armed Forces and have been participating enthusiastically and actively in enhancing the momentum of the drive to control and eradicate narcotic drugs.

 
Map shwoing Thai military attack Pan Kant Kaw and Nyaungbin Kon on the Myanmar-Thai border.

After making these insinuations that the Myanmar Army had consented to and coordinated the operations in the area, the SURA drug trafficking insurgents whom they have adopted and championed, were sent in to attack Myanmar Army posts and 'Wa' posts with supporting artillery fire by the Thai troops in the area. These events show plainly that these incidents are the results of deliberate manipulation to cause unwelcome border problems. So far we have tried to resolve the problems peacefully through diplomatic channels. If however the problems persist and continue, there is no other option left but to use alternative means to resolve these problems.

     
Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win replies to queries raised by
local and foreign correspondents at the press conference.

The Vice Chief of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Kyaw Win then supplemented Colonel San Pwint's briefing with further clarification.

Later after Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win after had replied to questions raised by the correspondents, a video film of the CNN broadcast of the Thai attack at the Myanmar-Thai border was shown and the Press Conference concluded at 10.20 a.m.

 
Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win replies to queries raised by
local and foreign correspondents at the press conference.

The correspondents then viewed the location of the Myanmar Army Posts and 'Wa' posts of Special Region 2 of Shan State (North), which the SURA terrorists had attacked, on the maps displayed in the auditorium.

_________________________________________________________________