Shan State Army-South
Encyclopedia
The Shan State Army-South is one of the bigger rebel factions fighting against the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) regime of Burma. The commander of the SSA is Col. Yawd Serk.
Yawd Serk announced that there was no more SSA South and SSA North and there would be only one SSA in a ceremony held at its headquarter, Loi Taileng, at 21 May 2011.
-Burma border:
Known Equipment include the M16 rifle
, AK-47
, RPD
, FN MAG
, RPK
, M79
, USAS-12
, Mortars
, RPG-7
and M203.
.
In December 2008, the Shan State Congress (SSC) was formed at Loi Taileng under the aegis of Yawd Serk. It includes non-Shan groups as well with members from:
There was a Six State Military Alliance with Arakan
Liberation Party (ALP), Chin
National Front (CNF), Kachin
National Organization (KNO), Karen National Union
(KNU) and Karenni
National Progressive Party (KNPP), formed earlier but dormant for some years, and Yawd Serk expressed the need to revive this in anticipation of the 2010 elections.
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
(SPDC) regime of Burma. The commander of the SSA is Col. Yawd Serk.
Yawd Serk announced that there was no more SSA South and SSA North and there would be only one SSA in a ceremony held at its headquarter, Loi Taileng, at 21 May 2011.
Territory
The SSA-South has 5 bases along the ThaiThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
-Burma border:
- Loi Taileng - its main base opposite Pang Mapha District, Mae Hong SonMae Hong SonMae Hong Son ) is a town in north west Thailand, capital of the Mae Hong Son Province. It is located in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the river Pai...
- Loi Moong Merng - opposite Muang District, Mae Hong Son
- Loi Lam - opposite Wiang Haeng District, Chiang MaiChiang MaiChiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
- Loi Hsarm Hsip - opposite Fang district, Chiang Mai
- Loi Gawwan - opposite Mae Fa Luang District, Chiang RaiChiang Rai-Demographics:Official Population count: According to the Thailand National Statistical Office, as of September 2010, Chiang Rai municipal district has a population of 199,699...
Size and Armament
Recent estimates place the size of the SSA at just over ten thousands troops. The Leader of the SSA is Colonel Yawd Serk who is under constant guard due to his fear of Assassination Attempts. Despite being isolated in the mountains of the Shan State, the SSA has managed to procure large quantities of weapons from both China and the United States. Unlike most rebel forces the SSA have uniforms and go through a seven week boot-camp to prepare them for combat with Government forces.Known Equipment include the M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
, AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
, RPD
RPD
The RPD is a 7.62mm light machine gun developed in the Soviet Union by Vasily Degtyaryov for the intermediate 7.62x39mm M43 cartridge. It was created as a replacement for the DP machine gun chambered for the 7.62x54mmR Mosin rifle round...
, FN MAG
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
, RPK
RPK
The RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
, M79
M79
M79 or M-79 may refer to:* Messier 79, a globular cluster in the constellation Lepus* M79 grenade launcher, an American grenade launcher* M79 rocket launcher, a Yugoslavian rocket laucher* M-79 , a state highway in Michigan...
, USAS-12
USAS-12
The Daewoo Precision Industries USAS-12 is an automatic shotgun designed as a combat shotgun manufactured in South Korea by Daewoo Precision Industries during the 1980s.- Design :...
, Mortars
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
, RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
and M203.
Alliances
On May 21, 2005, the Shan State Army pledged to work with the Shan State National Army against the SPDC to achieve the Independence of the Shan StateShan State
Shan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
.
In December 2008, the Shan State Congress (SSC) was formed at Loi Taileng under the aegis of Yawd Serk. It includes non-Shan groups as well with members from:
- LahuLahuThe Lahu are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia and China.They are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where about 450,000 live in Yunnan province. An estimated 150,000 live in Burma. In Thailand, Lahu are one of the six main hill tribes; their...
Democratic Union (LDU) - Pa-OPa-OThe Pa-Oh form an ethnic group in Burma, comprising approximately 600,000. The Pa-Oh form the second largest ethnic group in Shan State, and are classified as part of the "Shan National Race" by the government, although they are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman stock, and are ethnolinguistically...
National Liberation Organization(PNLO) - Restoration Council of Shan State (SSA’s political arm)
- TaiTai peoplesThe Tai ethnicity refers collectively to the ethnic groups of southern China and Southeast Asia, stretching from Hainan to eastern India and from southern Sichuan to Laos, Thailand, and parts of Vietnam, which speak languages in the Tai family and share similar traditions and festivals, including...
Coordination Committee(TCC) and - WaWa StateWa State is an unrecognised state in Myanmar and is currently subsumed under the official Wa Special Region 2 of the Northern Shan State. The administrative capital is Pangkham . The name Wa derives from an ethnic group, who speaks a language in the Austroasiatic family of languages...
National Organization(WNO).
There was a Six State Military Alliance with Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
Liberation Party (ALP), Chin
Chin State
Chin State is a state located in western Burma . The Chin State is bordered by Rakhine State in the south, Bangladesh in south-west, Sagaing Division and Magway Division in the east, Indian state of Manipur in the north and Indian state of Mizoram in the west. The Chin ethnic group make up the...
National Front (CNF), Kachin
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
National Organization (KNO), Karen National Union
Karen National Union
The Karen National Union is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army that represents the Karen people of Burma. It operates in Eastern Burma, and has underground networks in other areas of Burma where Karen people live. In Karen, this Karen area is called...
(KNU) and Karenni
Karenni
Red Karen also known as Karenni, is a subgroup of the Karen people, a Sino-Tibetan people living mostly in Kayah State of Burma....
National Progressive Party (KNPP), formed earlier but dormant for some years, and Yawd Serk expressed the need to revive this in anticipation of the 2010 elections.
External links
- Photos of United Wa State Army (UWSA) and Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) military outposts along the border of Thailand, Chiang Rai province Geopium.org
- More Photos Militaryphotos.net
- http://www.shanland.org/