MYANMAR-CHINA: GODFATHER OF GOLDEN TRIANGLE Naw Kham and three of his accomplices TO BE EXECUTED MARCH .

CNTV -KUNMING – Myanmar drug lord Naw Kham and three of his accomplices, all of whom wereconvicted of murdering 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River in 2011, will be executed bylethal injection on March 1 in the city of Kunming in Southwest China’s Yunnan province, acourt in Kunming said Wednesday.

—

he court upheld death penalties for the case’s prime convicts – the Myanmar drug lord NawKham and three of his right-hand men.

The Provincial Higher People’s Court of Yunnan also sustained sentences for the two otherMyanmar convicts, known by their Chinese names Zha Bo and Zha Tuobo. They were handeda death sentence with two-year reprieve and eight years in prison, respectively.

The six were convicted of intentional homicide, drug trafficking, kidnapping and hijacking by alocal court in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, in November.

Nicknamed “The Godfather,” Naw Kham was the boss of the largest illegal armed drugtrafficking gang on the Mekong River, which flows through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand,Cambodia and Vietnam.

Naw Kham Godfather of Golden Triangle sentenced to death-engl-video

Naw Kham’s-Godfather of Golden Triangle -case: Lost in translation again!

THURSDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2012 13:51 S.H.A.N.

One thing very clear that comes out of the CCTV’s reports on “Godfather” Naw Kham, who together with 5 colleagues are on trial today in Kunming, Yunnan province, is that he has yet to admit to the murder charges leveled at him and his gang.

Suspects of last year’s deadly attack on the Mekong River that left 13 Chinese sailors killed are on trial at the Kunming Intermediate People’s Court in Kunming, capital of Southwest China’s Yunnan province, Sept 20, 2012. Naw Kham from Myanmar, along with five other gang members, faced trial at the court. [Photo/Xinhua]

Its 18 September report includes a Q & A between him and the police:

Police: “Why were you arrested?”

Naw Kham: “Because I planned and killed 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River on Oct 15th 2011.”

That was the translation. But after listening carefully to what he said in Shan, it comes out like this:

“It concerns the killing on 2 Chinese ships on 10 October. They mistook me (for the killing) and had arrested me.”

Which goes on to show that China’s judiciary will need better interpreters well versed both in Chinese and Shan, who are not hard to find especially on the Burmese side of the border. Until the court has procured the services of such people, this trial should not proceed. But if it does proceed and the verdict comes out the way all of us are anticipating, then all of us, especially the Chinese judiciary, are violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 11:

Naw Kham, Godfather handed over to China

10.may 2012 Naw Kham, Mekong godfather, captured in Bokeo on 25 April, handed over to Chinese officials by Laotian authorities in Vientiane this morning.(CCTV)

Three long-tailed boats carrying 3 armed men each waylaid 2 passenger boats south of Xieng Kok on the Mekong

18 May 2011 Three long-tailed boats carrying 3 armed men each waylaid 2 passenger boats south of Xieng Kok on the Mekong. The two passenger boats belong to King Romans casino in Laos’ Tonpheung. The incident took place about 13:00 local time, according to local business community sources at the Golden Triangle. The area is patrolled by members of a protection racket led by Naw Kham. (SHAN)