Shan State Army soldiers parade in their stronghold of Doi Tai Laeng, opposite Mae Hong Son, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of resistance to the Burmese junta.

Charismatic Shan rebel army leader Colonel Yawd Serk has strengthened alliances with armed ethnic minorities along the Thai-Burma border.

 Yawd Serk said the United Wa State Army (UWSA) - which currently backs a counter-insurgency by the Burma Army against his Shan State Army (SSA) - had offered ties.

Yawd Serk was speaking at celebrations he said marked 60 years of Shan resistance at its Doi Tai Leang stronghold across the border from Mae Hong Son.

The SSA in various guises has been fighting Burmese forces for more than 48 years.

He said the SSA will "never give up its fight for independence from Burma".

The celebrations were held under heavy guard. Wa fighters are near and their relationship with the junta causes anxiety.

Yawd Serk formed his force after his ex-boss and drug lord Khun Sa surrendered in January 1996.

The name SSA has been "borrowed" from the Shan army of earlier times. The SSA has had weapons and troop exchanges with ethnic groups along the Thai-Burma border, including the Karen National Progressive Party.

"I have sent my troops to help the Karen to fight the Burmese on more than 10 occasions in past years," he told reporters after the ceremony.

He said he had been in contact with the UWSA in a peace bid. He said the Wa never wanted to fight the Shan.

"But, Burma has pressured the Wa against its will to fight us," he said. He asserted a recent engagement was led by a "low-level" Wa commander without approval or acknowledgement of Wa leaders at Panghsang. And, a Wa attack under the command of "drug dealer Wei Hsueh Kang last year was made without consent of leaders in Panghsang", he said.

The Shan want to see unity among ethnic minorities in their struggle with the junta and Yawd Serk welcomes a pact with the Wa.

He will even entertain an association with Wei Hsueh Kang - wanted by both the United States and Thailand for drug offences.

"If they stop their drug business and concentrate only on the struggle for independence, we welcome them," Yawd Serk said.

Washington describes Wei Hsueh Kang as a "significant foreign narcotics trafficker" as specified by the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.

The senior UWSA commander was named in May 2003 as a drugs lord and a US$2 million (Bt71.5 million) bounty placed on his head.

Known in Thailand as Somboon Kradumporn, he jumped bail while on trial for drugs offences in Thailand. Bangkok has failed to have him extradited.

Wiwatchai Somkham

The Nation

DOI TAI LAENG, BURMA