Around 300 of government personnel are reportedly on the way to Panghsang, headquarters of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) to resume their work in the Wa territory due to agreement reached between the two sides to send state personnel to their areas except military personnel, according to sources from the Sino-Burma border.
Currently, they are reportedly stopping over at Mongyang, 102 km northeast of Shan State East’s capital Kengtung, to wait for more of their people as the 300 arrivals were from only two departments said a source from Mongyang.
“The said 300 appear to be only for Mongpawk sub-township (of Mongyang township), as it is considered part of Shan State East,” explained an informed source. “Those working in Panghsang and elsewhere, being part of Shan State North, will be coming from Lashio.”
The returnees were part of the Wa request to the Burmese government when the two sides met last month, to return government personnel such as teachers and medical workers to the UWSA controlled areas as well as those working with international organizations.
As for military personnel, the group said it has enough strength to guard its region. Therefore the government need not send back military personnel, according to a high ranking Wa officer.
In mid March 2010, the military junta had ordered all junta personnel and NGOs working in the Wa State to return to their home bases due to rocky relationship between the two sides over Naypyitaw’s Border Guard Force program.
Finally both sides came to meet for the first time in September, and second time in early October and reached some agreements such as to send state personnel, to provide all Wa people citizens’ identification cards and driving licenses as well as motor vehicle licenses and support 2,000 sacks of rice plus10 million kyat (about $12,500 U.S.D.) each month.
The two are expected to hold a third meeting in the near future. Panghsang’s ally, Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), meanwhile, says it has yet to hear anything from Kengtung.
