SUMMARY

The LNUP (Lahu National United Party) was a rebel group that fought an intrastate armed conflict over territory against the Government of Myanmar (Burma) 1973-1984 in the southern parts of Shan state. The official goal of the LNUP was to protect the rights of- and pursue potential autonomy for the Lahu hill tribe living in the Shan state; however, the group was also interested in benefitting from the illicit drug trade in the region.

During the 1960s, the Government of Myanmar (Burma) mandated the creation of the Ka Kew Ye (KKY), which were local “home guard” militia groups. Several such KKY groups were created amongst the Lahu tribe. The KKY fought various armed rebel groups, such as the CPB, on the government’s behalf; in return, the KKY militias were allowed to engage in unregulated drug trading. When the government attempted to disband the KKY groups in 1973, several Lahu groups decided to create the LNUP and initiate its low-intensity conflict against Government of Myanmar (Burma).

The group set up a base on the Loi Lang Mountain on the Thai-Burma border, from where it carried out its armed operations and other activities, such as illicit drug trading. Cooperation with drug traders provided LNUP with many resources, but it also led to the demise of the group. In July 1982, the LNUP bases at Loi Lang were attacked by forces of the Shan rebel group Shan United Army (SUA), which at the time primarily focused on protecting the drug convoys of its leader Khun Sa. The last remnants of the LNUP then surrendered in 1984.

Pu Kyaung Long (“Old Man of the Monastery”) was the founder and leader of LNUP; he was also the payah (politico-religious leader) of the Lahu tribe. After his death in 1980, Pu Kyaung Long’s son Chai Ui became the leader of the group. While it has not been possible to establish the group’s peak cadre strength, LNUP had 400 fighters when it surrendered in 1984.

In 1985, former LNUP members led by Chai Ui formed the Lahu National Organization/Army (LNO/LNA); however, this group failed to have any significant military impact.

It has been suggested that the Shan State Army (SSA) provided substantial support to the LNUP during its creation phase; however, the nature of this relationship was not disclosed. Some sources also claim that LNUP was part of a loose cooperation network, comprised of many Myanma armed groups, such as KNU, KIO, SSPP, and ALP.