Chinese Citizens From Eastern Burma Asked To Return

In a late night broadcast, Yunnan TV controlled by the Yunnan provincial government said the Chinese government has asked all Chinese citizens from eastern Burma to return home quickly, said local observers.

The Yunnan TV-1 broadcast was aired at 11:45 p.m. China Standard Time. The announcement directed all Chinese citizens to come back home quickly, given Burma's political situation is deteriorating, where civil war is likely to break out on the border, local TV watchers told KNG.

Yunnan TV has a total of six channels but the Yunnan TV-1, satellite channel mainly broadcasts news about Yunnan and neighbouring Burma.

The announcement, especially called on Chinese citizens in the two main States of Burma--- Kachin State and Shan State, bordering Yunnan province as well as the Burma-Thailand border to come back home, said TV listeners on the border.

Two days before the Yunnan TV-1's announcement, construction of three more camps for Burmese refugees was begun at Manghai, Pengjiazhai and Xiaozhai villages close to the Burma border east of Salween River (also called Saphkung Hka in Kachin) on the direct instruction of the Chinese central government with a supporting budget.

"The latest move by China reveals the likelihood of resumption of civil war between the Burmese Army and ethnic armed groups on the border. I think both governments are in touch and aware because they always have close-door meetings,” a Kachin military analyst on the border told KNG today.

The Chinese border authorities have been collecting names and making a list of its hundreds of citizens in the two Dapein River's (Tahkaw Hka in Kachin) hydropower projects in Bhamo district in Kachin State since last week. The project sites are also situated near the China border, said sources from the project sites.

Recently, Yunnan-based radios and TVs announced several times the return home of all Chinese citizens from eastern Burma including the territory of United Wa State Army (UWSA) soon after the Burmese troops captured the ethnic Kokang armed group also called Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) on August 24, said the border sources.

The junta is now gearing up for war with the border-based ethnic armed groups--- the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), UWSA, and the Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).

The three ethnic armed groups have rejected the junta-proposed transformation of their armed-wings to Border Guard Forces. The regime has set a deadline for the change, which is October 31.

Currently, the three ethnic armed groups are also preparing to defend themselves against the Burmese troops. The offensive by the junta could be soon, according to sources close to the groups.

KNG