While a faction led by its commander and deputy commander has agreed to become junta run home guard forces, the other and stronger faction of the Shan State Army (SSA) North, led by its chief of staff Pang Fa, who is closely associated with the United Wa State Army (UWSA), declared on 5 May that it would remain loyal to the people and its political cause, according to sources on the Sino-Burma border.

“The decision is irreversible,” Maj Gen Pang Fa was quoted as telling Gai Fa and Lao Gawn who, on behalf of Maj Gen Aung Than Tut, Commander of Burmese Army’s Northeastern Region command, had come to persuade him to accept the militia deal between 2 and 4 May.

Its strongest ally the UWSA, on the 22 April deadline, also reportedly refrained from giving any response. When asked by the Northeastern Command the next day, it had replied, “Our people and our troops were all against us agreeing (to your Border Guard Force programme).”

The Wa capital Panghsang also let it be known that beginning 29 April, when Naypyitaw informed it in advance that the relations between the two would be reverting to pre-1989 (i.e. before the ceasefire agreement) status, any further meetings between the two should be held in the Wa territory. “It will be safe for you to visit us”, the Wa statement was reported as saying, “because it is you who want to fight and not us. We will never shoot first.”

The Wa’s other ally, the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), based in Mongla further South, was also reportedly summoned by the Kengtung-based Triangle Region Command on 3 May for another meeting. To which Mongla replied that it would not be able to attend it unless there were strong signals from Naypyitaw that Mongla’s 6 point counter-proposal to the BGF programme would be considered.

Both Mongla and Wa had agreed to the BGF “in principle” but wanted some adjustments with regard to its implementation. Naypyitaw’s reply to which was unsurprisingly “No.”

Latest reports say some 600 former Chinese volunteers during the Communist Party of Burma era (1968-1989) have already returned to the Wa territory to become “advisors” and that at least 300,000 new volunteers, mostly Chinese of Wa origins, are ready to fight, with or without Beijing’s go-ahead, against the Burmese Army in the event of war.