SUMMARY
The Wa-region is at the heart of the conflict between the UWSA (United Wa State Army) and the government of Myanmar. The former established an administration in the region which later came to be expanded southwards. The conflict became active some years later when the government demanded the return of the southern area. After clashes in 1997 a ceasefire was put in place and the Wa-region remained intact.
IN DEPTH
Background to the conflict
One of the many competing groups at the eve of Burmese independence was CPB (Communist Party of Burma), that launched an armed struggle against the government of Myanmar (Burma less than six months after the country's independence in 1948.
Following increased support from China in 1962-1978, the CPB established control over almost all of northeastern Burma, including the Wa hills. This underdeveloped region was inhabited by tribes with a reputation of inter-clan headhunting and a reluctance to integrate politically with the Burmese. CPB unified the Wa clans and incorporated them into its army.
After 1979, Chinese support was withdrawn and tensions within CPB became visible. Following increased pressure from the Burmese military, and divisions between the older and younger cadres of the leadership, CPB disintegrated into different ethnic factions in 1989. The first faction emerged when the Kokang Chinese supported by some Wa troops took over the former CPB northern headquarters in March 1989.
Soon, more CPB breakaway factions emerged with the main Wa ethnic group being the strongest faction, consisting of over 12 000 troops. This faction established a Wa region under the control of UWSA (United Wa State Army), one of the primary parties in the conflict at hand. After some consideration, UWSA decided to sign a ceasefire with the government of Myanmar, allowing the group to keep its territory and weapons, provided it would help the government in fighting other local insurgent groups.
Conflict over the southern Wa-region
Having established control of the region, UWSA quickly made connections and established cooperation with a small group of Wa located on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. The southern group was deeply involved in drug trafficking under the leadership of the Wei brothers, and the connection became an important source of revenue.
One of the conditions for allowing UWSA to keep its territory was that it would assist the government in battling other insurgents. In 1990 however, UWSA declared that it held no ill-will against the Kachin people, based in the northernmost parts of the country, and consequently withdrew from fighting against the KIO (Kachin Independence Organisation). The Shan-based MTA (Mong Tai Army), however, was considered a rival in the drug business, and UWSA became active in fighting them, often in collaboration with government troops. The violence between MTA and UWSA is coded in a separate non-state dyad.
During the first half of the 1990s, the northern UWSA sent increasingly higher numbers of troops to the southern bases in order to support the struggle against MTA. Some observers claimed that the government had promised UWSA an expanded Wa region in the south as an incentive for their participation. After the MTA leadership negotiated a ceasefire in January 1996, the government allegedly demanded that all Wa settlements be removed to their northern territory. UWSA refused and clashes broke out in the first months of 1997.
Eventually, a ceasefire was negotiated and the Wa maintained their positions. Clashes have continued between UWSA and the Shan rebel groups that formed after the MTA ceasefire. Shan organisations such as SSA-S (Shan State Army - South command), the armed wing of the RCSS, have also cooperated with another Wa faction, the Wa National Organisation in a continued low-intensity conflict against the government.
UWSA has managed to create a largely independent state-like administration in their territory; even Myanmar officials and military have had to receive permission to visit. UWSA has repeatedly stated that the main objective of the group is to preserve its autonomous rule and has refused to disarm despite several requests by the government.
As mentioned the UWSA was deeply involved in drug trafficking under the leadership of the Wei brothers. In June 2005, UWSA declared that all poppy-farming had been successfully eradicated on the territory under its control, but analysts warned that this industry had been replaced by the production of other narcotics, such as methamphetamine. There have been reports that this is the case in the northern UWSA-controlled area but less so in the southern part.
Following the ceasefire in 1997, the the state-based violence has not reached over 25 battle-related deaths in one calendar year, but some sporadic events have been recorded. In 2012 a peace process agreement was signed between the government and UWSA. The agreement includes six points which the parties agree to, including adopting development plans for the Wa region. The full-text peace agreement can be found under "Read more".
