Myanmar Army Outposts on the Myanmar-Yodaya Border Seized by SURA Drug Trafficking Insurgents Successfully Recaptured by Myanmar Armed Forces
[ 24th June, 2002 ]

     
Deputy Head of Department of the Military Intelligence 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 10 am today.

Minister for labor U Tin Win, Vice Chief of Military Intelligence 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.

As explained by Col San Pwint at the meeting, a press briefing was given to correspondents of the local and foreign media on how a strong combined force of SURA drug trafficking insurgents and Yodaya army units attacked the small Myanmar Army outposts of Pan Mong Song, Yan Paing Song, Nyaungbin Kon and Pan Kant Kaw situated within Myanmar territory along the Myanmar-Yodaya Border on 20 May 2002. In the attack the Yodaya side employed heavy ground artillery and tank artillery. The small Myanmar outposts took all possible defensive action but because of the disparity of the forces they were forced to abandon their outposts.

Before the attack on these outposts, the Yodaya Army informed the Myanmar authorities that they intended to hold military maneuvers known as SURASI (143) and went ahead to deploy a large force of Yodaya army troops, tanks and artillery along the border. Then joining forces with the SURA drug trafficking insurgents they began to attack the Myanmar Army outposts. They had intentionally timed the military exercise to coincide with this planned attack. The Myanmar Army therefore suffered loss of men and weapons because the SURA drug trafficking insurgents backed up by the Yodaya forces with heavy artillery attacked and seized these small Myanmar Army outposts. So, the Myanmar authorities announced in no uncertain terms that it would launch a counter-attack to recoup these losses and regain the camps. It however, stated that in launching these attacks to recapture its outposts seized by the SURA, it would be extra vigilant not to let shells and ammunition fall on the neighbouring country even though these army outposts were located close to the boundary line. The Yodaya authorities were also informed that should stray shells fall accidentally on their territory, they should understand that it was not deliberate or intentional, and that Yodaya army units should not exploit such accidents to aid and abet the SURA again by shelling Myanmar Army Forces with heavy artillery. If they should choose to fire on the Myanmar with heavy artillery in spite of this, it would retaliate with heavy artillery fire of its own. Thus to remove all doubts and misunderstanding and to avoid giving the Yodaya any excuse for making false accusations, the Myanmar authorities made all this absolutely clear on the Press Conference held on 4 June.

The SURA drug trafficking insurgents knew without a doubt that the Myanmar Army would launch attacks to recapture the outposts seized. So, they built 20 bunkers spaced at intervals on strategic high ground east of the posts they had seized as well as at the sides to put up a defence. There were about 600 SURA insurgents armed with mortars for defensive action.

After the Myanmar authorities had given a press briefing that the Myanmar Forces would launch a counter-attack, Myanmar Army columns marched on the SURA drug trafficking insurgents on 6 June. The People's Militia composed of 'Wa', Lahu, Shan/Akha national groups marched together with the Myanmar Forces. The bunkers set up by the SURA drug trafficking insurgents on high ground in front and at the sides of the outposts were attacked one after another and on 16 June, Yan Paing Song outpost was recaptured. Myanmar Army columns then attacked Pan Mong Song and recaptured the outpost as well as the Pan Mong Song Police outpost on 19 June. At 11.15 p.m. on the night of 21 June, Nyaungbin Kon and Pan Kant Kaw outposts were recaptured. The SURA drug trafficking insurgents then ran away into Yodaya territory. The Myanmar Army has thus successfully regained all its outposts.

In recapturing these small army outposts, 31skirmishes and battles took place between 6 June and 21 June and 45 drug trafficking insurgents were captured dead in the encounters. They had also buried some of their dead scattered over the camps, and search and clearing up of the camps are still in progress. But it is estimated that over 100 SURA were killed and over 200 wounded.  An assortment of arms and ammunitions consisting of 7 weapons, 91 mines, 47 grenades, and 11,600 rounds of ammunition were also seized. About 50 of the Myanmar Government troops gave their lives for the country and about 200 were wounded. Some of the national races of the People's Militia also gave up their lives for the country and some were wounded.

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

The Yodaya newspapers have written false reports claiming that the Myanmar Forces had used chemical weapons called Yellow Rain in the counter-attacks to recapture the outposts. What actually transpired was that after all the outposts had been recovered, the SURA on 22 June poisoned Pan Kant Kaw Creek as a result of which fish and other riverine creatures were found dead. They had deliberately set up a phony situation to make it appear that Myanmar Forces had used chemical weapons. It was also intended to endanger Myanmar troops who would die if they should drink the poisoned water from the creek. The soldiers of the Myanmar Army far from using chemical weapons are not familiar with them. Myanmar also does not have the capacity to produce chemical weapons nor has any country sold such weapons to Myanmar. So, there is no question of Myanmar using chemical weapons. The accusation is totally baseless. The SURA in collusion with Yodaya newspapers had similarly accused the Myanmar Forces of using chemical weapons in the battle at Pachi outpost and maintained that some SURA insurgents had had to be hospitalized and given treatment at Chiangmai Hospital as a result. They also spread rumours that stimulant drug tablets had been seized at the Myanmar Army outpost. In the present case also they are deliberately spreading rumours that Myanmar is using chemical weapons to sow misunderstanding and mistrust among the international community.

At present, the Myanmar Armed Forces together with the People's Militia are conducting military operations in Lwe Khan Chon/Kya Hti Na region within Myanmar territory on the Myanmar- Yodaya border. The troops have been given orders to be cautious and not make incursions into Yodaya territory or let shells fall on it. The Myanmar Armed Forces have not trespassed at all into Yodaya territory. In fact the Myanmar authorities had already given advance information that the Myanmar Forces were going to launch military operations against the SURA insurgents. But the Yodaya Army units on 23 June shelled the Myanmar outpost at Lwe Khan Chon with artillery altogether 53 times from morning till nightfall. Furthermore, between 5.20 p.m. and 6.05 p.m. on 22 June a patrol plane of the Yodaya Army trespassed 500 yards into Myanmar air space and flew over it for a total of 45 minutes. It flew along the border region where Myanmar Army military operations were in progress against the SURA drug trafficking terrorists. With regard to these infringements the Myanmar authorities will be summoning the Yodaya Defence Attaché to lodge official protest.

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

The Press Conference came to a close after the Vice Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win and Col San Pwint had replied to questions and clarified points raised by the local and foreign news correspondents present. The press conference concluded at 11 am.

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