Wa supreme leader Bao Youxiang's elder brother Bao Youri paid a four-day visit to Mongton Township, located opposite Chiangmai, last week, according to border sources
On his arrival on November 16, he was welcomed in the village of Hwe Aw, a few miles north of the Thai border, by thousands of Wa migrants, who had moved into the township in 1999.
"He urged us to have more children," said one of the villagers. "He said couples, who gave birth to 10 sons each would be awarded one house and one automobile and taken care of for the rest of their lives," the villager added.
Bao reportedly held a closed door meeting with local Wa commanders the next day, where he reiterated the United Wa State Army (UWSA)'s standing policy of not giving up their arms, until its demand for autonomy was met. "He also said Naypyitaw's call for the Wa to contest the 2010 elections would be considered," according to the locals. One of the UWSA's main allies, the Mongla Group, had also voiced the same idea earlier.
Since 1989, the Wa has established the United Wa State Party (UWSP) headed by Zhao Yilai, whose health, like Bao Youxiang, has been failing.
Due to the fact that the UWSP is the undisputed party in all the townships in the Wa Self-Administered Division, except for Markmang alias Metman, which is under the Burmese Army's control, any elections held there are expected to be plain sailing for its candidates.
Bao Youri left Mongton after a whirlwind tour of Wa bases along the Thai-Burma border.
Earlier, Burma's military regime announced holding of general elections in 2010 on February 9. A Constitutional Referendum was held in May when 92.7% of the people, according to Naypyitaw, had voted in favour of its draft constitution. The electoral law, however, is yet to be published.
