Two new districts have been carved out of six townships in the Wa Self Administration Division, according to the following new structure, which was announced on August 7th:

1. Hopang district with-

• Hopang township (under government control)
• Mongmai township (under United Wa State Army control)
• Pangwai township (under United Wa State Army control)

2. Markmang (Metman in Burmese) district with-

• Markmang township (under government control)
• Napharn township (under UWSA control)
• Panghsang aka Pangkham township (under UWSA control)

Previously, the 4 townships under UWSA control were administrative units under Lashio district, and the 12 former districts were as follows:

Shan State North (23 townships)

1.     Lashio district with 8 townships
2.     Kyaukme district with 8 townships
3.     Muse district with 3 townships
4.     Kunlong district with 2 townships
5.     Laogai district with 2 townships

Shan State South (21 townships)

1.     Taunggyi district with 10 townships
2.     Loilem district with 7 townships
3.     Langkher district with 4 townships

Shan State East (11 townships)

1.     Kengtung district with 5 townships
2.     Monghsat district with 3 townships
3.     Mongphyak district with 2 townships
4.     Tachilek district with 1 townships

The new set-up is as follows:

Shan State North (24 townships)

1.     Lashio district with 5 townships
2.     Kyaukme district with 6 townships
3.     Muse district with 3 townships
4.     Laogai district with 2 townships
5.     Mongmit district with 2 townships
6.     Hopang district with 3 townships
7.     Markmang district with 3 township

Shan State South (21 townships)

1.     Taunggyi district with 10 townships
2.     Loilem district with 7 townships
3.     Langkher district with 4 townships

Shan State East (10 townships)

1.     Kengtung district with 5 townships
2.     Monghsat district with 2 townships
3.     Tachilek district with 3 townships

Laogai district is also designated as the Kokang Self-Administered Area (SAA). However, the following other townships that have been designated as Danu SAA, PaO SAA and Palaung/Ta-ang SAA don’t have separate districts of their own:

The 2 townships in the Danu SAA, Pangtara, and Ywa-ngan, which are in Taunggyi district
The 3 townships in the PaO SAA, Hopong, Hsihseng and Panglawng
The 2 townships in the Palaung SAA, Namhsan, and Mantong, which are also in Kyaukme district

“We don’t know whether we are getting more rights or not under the 2008 constitution,” said a PaO activist in Taunggyi.

Self-Administered Areas/Divisions have been granted the “power” to legislate in 10 areas: urban and rural projects, construction and maintenance of roads and bridges, public health, development affairs, prevention of fire hazards, forest maintenance, preservation of the environment (in accordance with laws promulgated by the Union), water and electricity matters in towns and villages, and market issues in towns and villages.

“Even local governments in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia appear to have more power than our self-administered areas,” commented one of the attendees at the federalism workshop that was organized by the Canada-based Forum of Federations (FOF) in Taunggyi from May 25-27. “No wonder some of them are demanding separate statehood."

According to the Myanmar Times, on September 22nd the 31-member parliamentary committee responsible for drafting amendments to the 2008 constitution is ready to submit its bill to the Union Legislature. However, it’s unknown whether or not the question of granting more powers to self-administered areas in non-Burman states has been considered by the committee.