Mong Hsu Township

This article is about the present-day administrative division. For the former Shan princely state, see Monghsu. For the town, see Mong Hsu.
Mong Hsu
Township
Mong Hsu

Location in Burma

Coordinates: 21°54′20″N 98°21′10″E / 21.90556°N 98.35278°E / 21.90556; 98.35278Coordinates: 21°54′20″N 98°21′10″E / 21.90556°N 98.35278°E / 21.90556; 98.35278
Country  Burma
State Shan State
District Loilem District
Elevation[1] 707 m (2,320 ft)
Time zone MST (UTC+6.30)

Mong Hsu Township is a township of Loilen District in the Shan State of Myanmar. The principal town is Mong Hsu. Om-pu waterfall on Nam Parng River of Mong Hsu is the second largest waterfall of Shan State.[2] The nearest commercial airport to Mong Hsu is Lashio Airport.

History

Mong Hsu is the home of the famous Mong Hsu ruby mines.[3] The large scale production started in 1991.[4] Before gems were found, it is a small remote town with 1-2 convoys for each month. And before 1959, it was governed by a sawbwa.[5] Starting from 1992, rubies from Mong Hsu dominate the world ruby market of less than 3 ct. Or 99% of all rubies traded in Chanthaburi are from Mong Hsu.[6] The quality of its rubies is inferior to that of Mogok.

There was forced displacement of native Shan population in Mong Hsu Township by the Myanmar Army in 1995.[7] And several skirmishes between Myanmar Army and Shan State Army in 2011.[8]

Beginning on 6 October 2015 a large scale offensive by the Tatmadaw comprising 20 Burma Army battalions has been launched in central Shan State. The aim of the military is to seize Shan ceasefire territories in Kehsi, Mong Hsu, Mong Nawng and Tangyan townships, using heavy artillery and with fighter jet and helicopter gunship air support to indiscriminately shell and bomb civilian areas. These attacks have displaced thousands of Shan, Palaung, Lisu and Lahu people causing a new humanitarian crisis.[9][10]

Towns and Villages

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/18/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.