The children of the Shan Army-South-Freedomfighters

(Mizzima) – The last day of five-day football competition at the headquarters of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) entertained a larger number of Shan children than normal this year.

Children at the Shan headquarters camp prepare for a football match. (Photos: Mizzima) 

One of the roles of the SSA-S is to nurture and educate the children of the Shan community and other ethnic groups in the area.

Currently, there are more than 800 children studying at Loi Tai Leng, the name of the headquarters. The children include Shan, Palaung and Pa-O, and other ethnic groups. Many are orphans–– victims of the fighting, past and present.

Along the Shan-Thai border, the SSA-S has five main bases where Shan and others take shelter. The bases are Loi Kaw Wan (near Tachilek), Loi Sam Sip (near Fang), Loi Lam (near Wieng Heng, Chiang Mai) and Loi Tai Leng and Kong Moon Mong (opposite Mae Hong Son). 

Burmese rebels, who are currently undergoing trial at a City Sessions Court in India’s Kolkata,

by Mungpi
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 23:12

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burmese rebels, who are currently undergoing trial at a City Sessions Court in India’s Kolkata, on Wednesday, told the Court that they were not criminals, but freedom fighters from Burma, and they were betrayed by an Indian military intelligence officer.

In the statements signed by 17 of the 34 Burmese rebels on Wednesday, the rebels said they were not gunrunners and were not criminals, but are fighting for democracy and human rights in Burma, which is under military rule.

“Seventeen of the accused signed their statements today, and the other 17 will sign their statements on Thursday,” Siddharth Agarwal, one of the defense lawyers of the rebels, said.

The statements were given by the accused in response to the judge’s questions, which were based on the allegations made by the prosecution witnesses.

The rebels, who belong to Arakan and Karen ethnic nationalities of Burma, were arrested by Indian military personnel in Landfall Island in February 1998.

While the Indian military establishment claimed that they were arrested for gunrunning, the rebels said they were freedom fighters against military rule in Burma and were betrayed by the Indian military intelligence, who promised to allow them a base on Landfall Island.