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Myanmar people going to Shan state is like going to another country.
The food is different,people dress another way,language is different.
Many Shan people also feel cultural differences.They still have
an army of their own the SSA (Shan State Army) Other peoples like
Karen,Kachin, Wa and Pa-o also had or have their own armies.Until
recently they had cease fire agreements with the Burmese authorities.Burmese
authorities now want these armies to join the Border Guard Force
under command of the Myanmar army.Not all of the cease fire groups
seem willing to do this.When I accidentally met with the SSA in
2002 they were friendly and I was allowed to take pictures. When
I was in the south in 2000 the Karen army (DKBA)did not want pictures
to be taken.The last picture is taken in the Shan palace where the
Shan lord of the skies lived until 1962.The colours of the flag
mean yellow for Buddhism,green for the fields, red for blood and
the white circle represents the sun. |
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Shan
State Army truck
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Inside
the Shan palace
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