Political parties call for unity to be followed by Wa group
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Hsu/ Munich (NP News) - Oct 17
The Wa region, controlled by the powerful United Wa State Army (UWSA), remains autonomous from the government. There are ongoing calls for greater unity within the region.
In recent days, minutes from a recent meeting between Chinese special envoy to Myanmar Deng Xijun, and leaders of the UWSA have been circulating on social media.
According to leaked meeting minutes, Chinese special envoy Deng Xijun met with UWSA Vice Chairman Zhao Guo An on August 27 at the Huizhou Hotel in Fuzhou, China.
It was leaked about the Wa region's plans for the upcoming 2025 general election and the possibility of conducting a census there.
Zhao Guo An responded by saying that their leader Bao Youxiang shared the same view: “We cannot accept them coming and doing this. In the end, we found a compromise where they could train our people, select some regions, and do it ourselves when they come. We would carry out the census ourselves and then share the data with them. However, there is a trust issue. If we let them come here and do whatever they want, we don’t know what will happen. Mongla doesn’t agree with them either, but eventually, they reached an understanding. If they let our people get trained, we can conduct the census ourselves.”
Myanmar is currently conducting a national census from October 1 to 15. However, due to ongoing conflicts in certain regions, the census may not be completed fully.
The Wa region, controlled by the UWSA, operates autonomously from the Myanmar government. According to Vice-chairman of the New National Democracy Party U Khaing Min, the Wa authorities are selectively following provisions of the 2008 Constitution.
He said, “Legally, the Wa region is part of the Union, but the way they operate is as if they were in a semi-independent state. They’re taking their own census, doing things their own way, which is unacceptable. However, due to various circumstances, there is pressure to tolerate this. What they are doing doesn’t fit within the legal framework—they are interpreting the Constitution loosely.”
U Hla Thein of the Union Solidarity and Development Party has criticized the UWSA's control over the Wa region and its limited cooperation with the government, calling for increased collaboration.
Federal Democratic Party Vice Chairman U Yan Naing Win explained, “The Wa region is not a confederate territory.”
“If we are to assess the situation, the Wa region is not a confederate. It cannot be considered as such because we haven’t granted confederate status to anyone yet. As long as that’s the case, the Wa region remains under Myanmar. In this kind of situation, they are operating as an autonomous region. For example, in the Pa Laung autonomous region, there were many military forces present. Similarly, there are many forces around the Wa area. But after the events of October 27, the camps moved and repositioned due to the heavy fighting. A federal union cannot be established through unilateral actions like the Wa region's current status. The Wa region remains part of Shan State and cannot become a federal state or an independent state, as stipulated in the 2008 Constitution.,” said U Yan Naing Win.
According to U Yan Naing Win, the UWSA, which governs the autonomous Wa region, would need to cooperate with the government to contribute to Myanmar's development and embrace a spirit of unity. He also emphasized that the UWSA must adhere to the country's laws.
"They must actively contribute to national development. To foster a sense of national unity, they must participate. Furthermore, they must adhere to all laws established by the union. This is a fundamental principle. Any violation of these laws will inevitably lead to consequences. If they choose to disregard the law, they will face repercussions from the upcoming elected government," added the deputy chairperson of the Federal Democratic Party.
Both the Wa and Mongla regions operate autonomously from the Myanmar government and maintain their own armed forces. According to SAC spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, there are no Myanmar government officials present in these regions. The majority of the population speaks Chinese, with limited Burmese fluency, and the Chinese Yuan is the primary currency used, rather than the Myanmar Kyat.
There are discussions about the need for enhanced cooperation between China and Myanmar to ensure that Myanmar's legal systems, such as police, immigration, and customs, are effectively enforced within the Wa and Mongla regions.