Our 5 men delegation, upon arrival in Mae Sariang, was informed by the Karen liaison officer Kadoe that Thai security had been lenient since the signing of ceasefire by the Karen National Union on 12 January 2012, two years earlier. He therefore asked us to excuse him as he did not expect any problem for us on the way.

He was right. Every Thai checkpoint from Mae Sariang up to Mae Salid Luang, 90 km away, just let us off without any tough questions.

We were then ferried across the Moei, known in Burmese as Thaung Yin, to Le Wa (White Rock) where the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)’s 7th Brigade is located. From there, we were driven along the bank to Lawkheela (Scenic Spot), half an hour’s drive away downstream.

The driver told us he had just arrived from Hlaingbwe (170 km and 5 hours drive away) only yesterday.

Thaung Yin, any Thai linguist would tell you, is a corruption of the Thai/Shan word Hsawng Yang (Two Karens).

However I didn’t meet anybody who told me what Moei means.

Lawkheela, where the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAO) Conference #2, is to be held is located about 2 miles inland. I was there once in 2001 with the late Chao Tzang Yawnghwe (1939-2004) and Sao Hseng Serk (1935-2007).

We were driven to a long-legged army barracks overlooking the hall where the meeting, scheduled for 3 days (19-22 January) was to be held.

We were to share it with representatives from Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Chin National Front (CNF) and Arakan National Council (ANC) for the next few days. Of course, if you have been following recent events in Burma, you must have heard some of them:

• Khun Sa (LDU)
• Nai Hongsa aka Nai Han Tha (NMSP)
• Dr Khin Maung (ANC)
• Zin Cung (CNF) and
• Sai La (RCSS/SSA)

Later I met leaders of other movements at the dinner party held in their honor.

The night was cold and colder as each succeeding night came. According to the weather forecast, it would remain so until 23 January. For all of us, it would be a long night ahead, because each of us were given only one thin blanket.