The death of Maj-Gen Sai Nawng of Shan State Army (SSA) North on Sunday, in Hsipaw, seemingly a suicide, was shrouded in mysterious circumstances, according to sources from Shan State, who insisted Sai Nawng, 64, a seasoned combat veteran, had no sound reasons to kill himself.

“Most disturbing was the position of his pistol,” said an officer. “It was lying in front instead of on his side, leading to suspicion that it could have been an assassination.”

Sai Nawng was found dead of a gunshot wound on the morning of Monday by the housemaid. “The gunshot was not heard by his neighbors,” a source close to the SSA told Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma. “They believed the assassin had used a silencer.”

Sai Nawng was born in Kutkhai on 22 March 1945, attended St Albert’s before joining the resistance on 19 October 1963, according to Who’s Who column in SHAN’s Independence monthly, February 2007 issue. As a company commander, he was responsible for the security of British TV crew who were in Shan State 1972-73, to shoot the much acclaimed “The Opium Warlords” documentary. He later commanded the famed Battalion 816. A member of the delegation led by Maj Gen Hso Ten that negotiated with the Burma Army for truce in 1989, he was elected as Deputy Commander of the SSA afterwards.

From 1993-1998, he served as its commander when Hso Ten retired. At the time of his death, he was one of the two honorary chairmen of the SSA. The other is Hso Ten who is serving a 106 year jail term at Khamti.

His funeral will be on 14 October in Hsipaw.