Meeting October 1st for the second time in a month, Burmese government officials and representatives for the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the largest and most powerful resistance group in the country’s highly contested Shan state, reportedly expressed possible conditions of compromise in ending their long standing conflict.
The UWSA held a ceasefire with the Burmese military led State Peace and Government Council starting in 1989, with tense relations and armed confrontation beginning in 2009 following Naypyitaw’s demand that all ceasefire movements become Burma Army run Border Guard Forces (BGFs). Saturday’s meeting reportedly ended with Wa officials hopeful for a third meeting in Panghsang, the location of UWSA’s headquarters. Most previous meetings had occurred in government controlled areas.
A Sept. 6th meeting between the two sides resulted in the delivery of 1,000 bags of rice previously withheld for two years to the UWSA controlled area. Delivery of other goods has also been discussed since the signing of a new ceasefire contract on the sameday, though they have yet to materialize.
According to a Wa official speaking under condition of anonymity, the Burmese government’s five proposed terms include return of important government personnel such as teachers and doctors to the UWSA controlled areas. They would also allow the return of the U.N. and I.N.G.O. Both had supported the area before 2005, when the area was declared a drug free zone.
Access for support of the area was taken away by a government order on March 22nd, 2010. Support from both organizations has come in the form of education, healthcare, and efforts to transition farmers involved in poppy production into the production of rubber and tea.
The Wa’s 14 proposed terms include return of state personnel to their areas except military personnel, and others such as providing all Wa people citizens’ identification cards and driver’s licenses as well as motor vehicle licenses. They would also like to see a continuance of rice supply in the form of 2,000 sacks a month, as well as monetary support of 10 million kyat each month (about $12,500 U.S.D.)
Also included in the provisions of the Wa’s points are a desire for greater access to their own business interests outside of the state; including lucrative ventures like Hong Pang group, which was founded by Southern Region Commander of the UWSA and known drug kingpin Wei Hsueh-kang and includes businesses in gems, agricultural production, construction, and more. Interest has also been expressed in acquiring permits for mining and production of teakwood outside of the state area.
An additional desire expressed in the UWSA’s terms is the Wa’s aforementioned hope for a third meeting in their own territory.
While negotiations continue with the UWSA, the Burmese government regime is currently engaged in active combat with separate resistance groups throughout the Kachin, Shan and Karen states, including areas close to the country’s borders with India, China, Thailand and Laos. “Our leaders proposed that military campaigns against them should be stopped and negotiations started immediately,” said the source, “and that all issues be settled by non-military means.”
The groups currently engaging the government forces- the Kachin Independence Army, the Shan State Army and the Karen National Union came together in a conference near the Thai Burma border over February 12-16 to form the United Nationalities Federation Council (UNFC). UNFC members expressed last month a desire to make peace with government forces, in response to President Thein Sein’s 18 August announcement inviting all armed groups to peace talks.
