Second Lady in waiting has a pleasant shock

Nang Shwe Hmone, the better half of Dr. Sai Mawk Kham, Shan presidential nominee of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Lashio, says she is shocked and pleased when hearing the name of her husband in the list of presidential nominees.

Dr Sai Mawk Kham (photo: S.H.A.N.)

“It was a surprise when others came to inform me about him. I really did not expect he would be placed at that level. Anyhow, I am happy to hear he was nominated as vice president whether or not he will really become one,” she said.

Like Nang Shwe Hmone aka “Princess Diana” to close friends, there are also many other people in the Shan society who share the same pleasant shock. Many others VIPs of people in Shan State like Venerable Sao Su Kham and Dr. Sai Mawk Kham’s friends including Sai Ai Pao, leader of Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) have reportedly congratulated Dr. Sai Mawk Kham either directly or through her.

While some people are thrilled, others express concern he will be used by the military junta as a scapegoat and puppet.

“We feel exalted on his new position but we are afraid he will become carp oil for the junta to fry a carp (meaning using a Shan to oppress the Shans). We pray he doesn’t fall into such disgrace.”

Nang Shwe Hmone (photo: S.H.A.N.)

Dr Sai Mawk Kham is the owner of private clinic, Yuli Kha (Do Be Well) and is also chairman of Shan State Literature and Culture Committee (Lashio). He has been actively involved in the preservation and promotion of Shan language and culture since his university days in the late 1960’s. But there have been a lot of attacks on him since he agreed to become a member of junta-run USDP. He was reportedly Gaung Khauk Ywe (knocked on the head and chosen) by junta authorities in earlier 2009 to run for USDP.

In early July, Dr. Sai Mawk Kham, at one of his campaigns in Lashio, was reported to have told his audience ‘to use your heads rather than your hearts. If you are bent only on using your hearts,” he said, “there will be only 2 j’s for you to choose: ‘jail or jungle’ (meaning imprisonment by junta or joining the armed resistance).”

On Tuesday, Sai Mawk Kham and one other ethnic MP Dr. Aye Maung of Arakan State Constituency No.1, Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP), had been nominated for the vice-presidential position from the Upper House of Parliament.