New Delhi (Mizzima) – The United Wa State Army, an ethnic armed rebel group, which has a ceasefire agreement with Burma's military regime, said it is facing renewed pressure from the junta to give-up its armed struggle.
A UWSA official in an interview with Mizzima said, Maj-Gen Kyaw Phyoe, a Regional Commander of the Burmese Army based in Keng Tung had literally stepped up efforts to persuade the armed rebels to give up armed struggle and 'exchange arms for peace' – an euphemism for surrender used by the junta.
In early December, Kyaw Phyoe met an UWSA official and made renewed calls to halt armed rebellion and to turn the group into a political party in preparation for contesting the ensuing the 2010 general elections.
"Yes, they [junta's commanders] often ask us to stop pursuing armed struggle," said the UWSA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the press.
But the official said, despite the mounting pressure, the UWSA's official position has not altered and reiterated that the group is not ready to abandon arms.
"Arms to us are akin to farmer's farming tools. If farmers do not have spades and shovels they cannot work in the fields, likewise we will be useless without our arms," the official said.
He, however, added that the group does not aim to continue armed struggle 'forever' but will pursue it until it can reach the objective of having a separate homeland under a federal democratic system.
"We would definitely do away with arms, once there is peace and justice in Burma," the UWSA official said.
With regard to the junta's pressure to transform the group into a political party and contest the upcoming general elections, the official said, the group has not taken any decision and would continue observing the situation and eventually decide.
"For now, we have not taken any decisions. We would like to observe further and see the situation as the election approaches," the official added.
Meanwhile, reports said, at least 1,000 armed men of the UWSA are into military drills along the Thai-Burma border in response to the junta's pressure to disarm the group.
The official confirmed the drills and exercises being carried out by the group, but, denied that the military exercises were in response to the pressure. He said, the group is preparing for its 20th anniversary celebration to be held in April 2009.
"We are soldiers, so we are always into military training. We need to be ready for any eventuality," the official said.
Like the UWSA, several other ethnic armed groups including the Kachin Independent Organisation (KIO) have all come under renewed pressure from the Burmese military to change into political parties, abandoning armed struggle.
Burma's military junta has announced that as the fifth step of its seven-step roadmap to democracy, a general election will be held in 2010, in accordance with the new constitution that was drafted and approved in a referendum in May.
According to the new constitution, Burma will be reformed and governed by a civilian participatory government and would have only one armed force. Analysts said this will give way for the military to disarm all other armed rebel groups including those that have ceasefire pacts with the junta. Military campaigns are likely to increase on other armed groups that so far do not have any ceasefire pacts.
But ceasefire groups including the KIO and UWSA have so far not decided on what course they would to take – whether to yield to the pressure or to continue armed struggle.
Aung Kyaw Zaw, a Burmese military-analyst based on the Sino-Burmese border, said the pressure will lead the ceasefire groups to seriously rethink their position and their future course.
"All ceasefire groups are in a tight situation now, and they need to really think carefully the path they choose," Aung Kyaw Zaw said.
He added that with neighbouring countries such as Thailand and China, on whose soils many armed rebel groups have bases, favouring the junta, it might be difficult for these groups to resume armed struggle.
But he did not rule out the possibility that these groups would resume active armed struggle if they are constantly pressured.
A source close to the Chairman of the UWSA Bao Yu-xiang, said the group so far has no agenda of surrendering its arms or to exchange 'Arms for Peace'. Rather, if the pressure from the junta mounts, there are possibilities that group will break their ceasefire pact.
"If there is further pressure or demands from the Burmese Army [to give up arms] then they [UWSA] will likely break the [ceasefire] pact and resume a vibrant armed struggle," the source, who did not wished to reveal his identity told Mizzima.
