New Delhi (Mizzima) - One of Burma’s major ethnic ceasefire groups – United Wa State Army (UWSA) – has acknowledged it has failed over the past two decades to achieve its primary objective of gaining autonomy for all Wa inhabited regions.
While the armed group has been able to carry out a certain level of development projects during the twenty years of ceasefire with Burma’s ruling junta, a UWSA official said it has not been able to achieve its political objective.
“We have not been able to gain total control over all Wa territories,” said the official, who for security reasons did not wish to be named.
UWSA broke away from the former Burma Communist Party (BCP) in 1989, subsequently signing a peace agreement with Burma’s ruling junta.
Since then it has maintained control over the town of Panghsang, the former communist stronghold on the Chinese border, and surrounding areas in Wa Special Region (2) in northern Shan state. But it has continued in its demand for a greater area of control.
“We want to have autonomy and self-governance over our entire territory,” the official added.
The official was speaking to Mizzima after the UWSA celebrated its 20th anniversary in Panghsang on April 17th.
The official said that during the twenty years of the ceasefire agreement it has been able to help develop the Wa region in terms of constructing roads and other infrastructure projects.
The group said it has also been able successfully implement the effective eradication of poppy cultivation in the region, since 2005, helping villagers to grow substitute crops.
But Aung Kyaw Zaw, a Sino-Burmese border based analyst, said while the UWSA was successful in reducing poppy cultivation, drug production has not decreased, having only shifted to the production of synthetic drugs such as ecstasy pills.
But, he admits that the UWSA has been able to strengthen itself economically and make its army stronger over the years.
“They have been able to make their army stronger within these years and to strengthen their position economically,” said Aung Kyaw Zaw.
In recent months the UWSA has been facing increasing pressure from the junta to lay down their arms and join the 2010 election process.
“There is continuing pressure from them [junta] regarding disarming and serving under their direct command, but we hope that we will be able to solve our differences peacefully,” the UWSA official explained.
He added that the UWSA will not lay down their arms, while continuing to engage in a process of peaceful negotiation with the junta, until their political demands are achieved.
