United Wa State Party

Election Stance

Not Participating

UWSA has rejected to join the government's Border Force guard. They have agreed in principle to the border guard force order but have not accepted that they should be dominated by Burmese military personnel and will also hold further talks with junta authorities

9-point charter of demands - calling for the Wa to maintain control of the Wa Hong and Pan Kham districts located near Thailand which the Burmese military wants the UWSP to relinquish.

The UWSA are trying to compromise with the SPDC on three points: They don't want war; they do want to continue with the ceasefire agreement; and they do want to develop their area

Facts

Founded: 1989
Founders: ?
Leader: Bao Yu Xiang
Membership: 30,000-strong armed force
support of 8,000 security personnel including police, security guards and their own militia.
Ceasefire agreement: 1989
Special Zone: Special Region – 2, Shan State

Latest News

On October 11, 2007 and on May 2, 2008 the council issued press statements on Burma and had called the ruling junta to release all political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to start a dialogue with her and all other political actors.

28 Jan 2010 - A bomb was reportedly discovered before it could explode at a UWSA trading office in Burma’s northeastern town of Mu-se near the border with China

Background

The United Wa State Party is one of the strongest ethnic groups in Burma. It split from Communist Party of Burma (CPB) in 1989 and reached a ceasefire agreement the same year. It is well known for being one of the largest drug-producing organization in Southeast Asia.

It is currently under intense pressure from the Burmese junta to transform into a Border Guard Force and has been gearing up for an emergency since December 2009. It has started recruiting new soldiers and requisitioned its veteran soldiers who have retired and living in China. Following the attack on Kokang, the UWSA has put the people’s militia on high alert and it is in combat readiness.

UWSA suggested the idea of an autonomous state but it was rejected by the SPDC. However the constitution recognises that the Wa region as a 'self-adminstered division'.

Party Central Executive Committee

Chairman	Bao Yu Xiang
Vice-chairman
General Secretary

Statements

7 Jan 2010 UWSA response to Lt. Gen. Ye Myint

Activities

Date	Location	Details
20 Aug 2010		the United Wa State Army (UWSA), and its close ally the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), were called by Naypyidaw for a fresh round of talks over the Border Guard Force (BGF) issue, the first since May
2 Feb 2010		The United Wa State Party Chairman Bao Yuxiang refused to meet with the junta's Military Affairs Security (MAS) Chief Lt. Gen. Ye Myint for the second time to discuss the dictatorship's desire to turn the UWSP into a Border Guard Force (BGF), citing his poor health as the reason
5 Jan 2010		United Wa State Party Chairman Bao Yu Xiang rejected a meeting with the junta’s Lieutenant General Ye Myint for another round of talks on transforming the Wa Army into a Border Guard Force.
26 to 28 Nov 2010	Pang Sang	UWSA held its Central Committee meeting and adopted the policy of 'defending peace with arms'.
14 November 2009	Tanyang	Wa Army leaders met junta’s top military leaders to discuss the BGF issue. But the meeting failed to yield results after the demands submitted by the Wa. The deadline for transformation to BGF was extended to the end of December. Zhao Guo-ang, Xiao Mi Liang, Aike Lon and Aike Khaw met with Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Chief of Bureau of Special Operations 2 Lt-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut, the commander of the Northeast Regional Military Command.
24 August 2009		UWSA has strengthened its defenses since the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army was forced out of its position in the Kokang capital to a column of junta troops
24-28 Oct 2009	Lashio, northern Shan State	A five-man delegation from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) met with the North- Eastern Regional Commander, Major-General Aung Than Htut, to discuss the proposed Border Guard Force programme. At the meeting, the Wa made clear that the withdrawal of Burmese army units from Wa territory was a first priority and requirement.
8 Oct 2009		Officers from the ‘Military Operation Command’ (MOC) 16 based in Seinwi, Kwanlon and Hopan in northern Shan State met some Wa officials from Mai Mai based 318th Brigade and Mai Khan based 468th Brigade to discuss the Border Guard Force proposal

Last Updated on Sunday, 22 August 2010 08:14