Bangkok Post
January 23, 2005
Despite condemnation of their tactics by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD, the radical Burmese pro-democracy group responsible for two hostage-taking events on Thai soil is once again resorting to violence
The Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors (VBSW) drew attention to themselves again on December 23, 2004, after they distributed a media release to various news organisations claiming responsibility for the bombing at Zawgi Restaurant in Rangoon two days earlier. The group warned that more blasts would follow unless the regime agreed to "immediately release all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," and "hand over the state power to the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in the 1990 general election."
According to Reuters, the blast killed one employee in the restaurant, which is popular among foreign tourists. But other media reported only an injury. "The perpetrators intended to harm innocent civilians and this should be deplored," commented a senior opposition leader.
The party of Burma's democracy icon, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, swiftly condemned the bombing as well. "The National League for Democracy considers this a terrorist act. The NLD is working through peaceful means for the emergence of democracy and human rights in this country, we cannot accept this kind of act," said a statement signed by the NLD's executive committee.
The attack against ordinary civilians contradicts the VBSW's earlier statement disclosed by Democratic Voice of Burma on August 5, 2003. The group then threatened to use every means including violence to hurt the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) but insisted they had no intention to hurt the people of Burma. The statement came with an audio file in which the VBSW leader, Ye Thiha, alias San Naing, announced: "As the warriors, we will be mainly targeting the generals who have been holding on to power and controlling the country, and we will keep on fighting them." Whether the VBSW has actually "hurt" any general since is not known, but there were no generals at the Zawgi Restaurant on the day of the blast.
Picture of a Warrior's reunion taken at a God's Army hideout somewhere inside Burma. From left to right; unidentified Warrior, Johnny, Min Lwin and Pida
Among the dozens of anti-SPDC political groups _ some of them armed _ the secrecy-shrouded VBSW are considered the most radical and violent. They teamed up with the notorious Karen God's Army in early September 1999 and a month after seized the Burmese embassy in Bangkok. This was followed by a raid on the Ratchaburi hospital in January 2000.
The two attacks have harmed the entire democratic movement and affected exiles in Thailand, where the authorities restrict their movements and activities, which more or less continue until now.
While most exiles disagree with the VBSW's tactics and methods on overthrowing the military regime, they won't condemn them openly. "After all, they have the same aim as us _ to dispose of the SPDC," reasoned a Chiang Mai-based dissident.
Senior Warrior Min Lwin failed to persuade two other leaders of the group, Kyaw Ni, a.k.a. Johnny, and a man known only as Pida, to stop the violence and leave the God's Army alone during a meeting in their jungle hideout shortly after the embassy incident, in which hot-blooded Kyaw Ni had played a major role. The two refused and even threatened to kill Min Lwin. But it was Pida who was killed a few weeks later at the Ratchaburi hospital.
Warrior leader an enigma
Ye Thiha still has many admirers inside and outside Burma who treat him as something of a folk hero. "He is clever and brave," his admirers say. But rumours persist that he has cooperated with some foreign intelligence services, and some exiles even suspect that he works for the SPDC, because everything his group has done causes only problems for the opposition movement, while the regime always benefits.
There are other things that don't add up. One source claimed: "During the embassy siege, the VBSW not only managed to open a vault inside the ambassador's office, but also sifted out contents from the embassy including a number of secret SPDC documents. The beneficiary of the siege was subject to speculation, but it was not the SPDC for sure!"
Going back in time, Ye Thiha began his "fight for democracy" by hijacking _ with his accomplice, Ye Yint _ a Burmese domestic flight from Mergui to Rangoon on October 6, 1989. They forced the Fokker F-28 to land at U-Tapao Thai Naval Air Base. After 11 hours of negotiations, they released unharmed all 82 passengers and four crew members. They were arrested and sentenced to six years in jail, but were released for good behaviour after serving three years.
Ye Thiha didn't enjoy his freedom for long. In November 1993, Din Daeng district police in Bangkok arrested him and three Burmese friends for possession of weapons and explosives. The group allegedly planned to enter Burma and assassinate the government leaders during the National Day celebrations in January 1994.
They each received sentences of 5 years and 4 months, but were released in February 1997. Ye Thiha was deported to Burma on October 5 that year.
"The VBSW is currently financed by Ye Thiha's compatriots living in the United States, Germany and France. Not long ago, he asked them for a large amount of money, allegedly to produce sophisticated explosive devices _ and they sent the funds to him," said a source associated with the group.
The VBSW recently agreed to an interview requested by Czech Press, saying in an e-mail on December 24, 2004: "We are afraid that we cannot grant a telephone interview, but we welcome your questions via email." Eleven questions were forwarded to them the next day, but as yet no answers have been returned.