By the end of the new deadline of 31 December 2009, the Wa stance would remain unchanged from its presentation to Naypyitaw’s chief representative on November 14, a reliable source close to the Wa leadership said yesterday.
The five-page letter written in Burmese and signed by Bao Youxiang, President of the Shan State Special #2, the official designation of the Wa dominated territory, on November 10, addressed to Lt-Gen Ye Myint said in essence, that the United Wa State Army (UWSA) would accept the transformation into a Border Guard Force but continue to run its own affairs.
His letter calls for the inclusion of Mongpawk as an additional township to the six townships already granted by the 2008 constitution to the Wa Self-Administered Division (SAD) plus areas along the Thai-Burma border that were assigned to the Wa on 30 September 1999 by Gen Khin Nyunt and later by Senior General Than Shwe and Deputy Senior General Maung Aye.
As for the BGFs, he proposes that there be two Sub Military Regions: Wanhong and Pangkham (Panghsang), each managed by
• 1 commander (Wa)
Two deputy commanders (one Wa and one Burmese Army)
One chief of staff (Wa)
Two deputy chiefs of staff (one Wa and one Burmese Army)
• Logistics, health and training should be the main responsibility of the Burmese Army, while the Wa will be responsible for the overall management of the subordinate battalions “due to difference in language and way of living”
• The age of officers and men at the battalion level should be between 18 and 50 as suggested by Naypyitaw, but those above should be up to 60
In addition, he proposed retirement pay for those members who are expected to be demobilized after reorganization:
• 3,000 fighters
• 5,000 administrative department staff
• 1,000 disabled
Naypyitaw should also guarantee exemption from legal action on Wa members for any past offences alleged to have been committed by them.
“The letter is final, as far as we are concerned,” said the source.
It is not yet known how Naypyitaw is going to react to the Wa counterproposal. It had been holding its last tri-annual meeting of all top commanders last week. Top on the agenda reportedly included the forthcoming general elections and the future of the ceasefire groups.
Six out of 12 remaining ceasefire groups have agreed to the BGF proposal: the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K), Kachin Defense Army (KDA), PaO National Army (PNA), Kayan National Guard (KNG), Karenni Nationalities People’s Liberation Front (KNPLF) and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). But the rest have voiced opposition to 30 junta officers running each of the BGF battalions. All have insisted, in essence, that junta officer inclusion should only be at the above-battalion level, where the BGF battalions of each group will be jointly managed.
