Junta broker to return to Panghsang
S.H.A.N. - Lt-Gen Ye Myint, the ruling military council’s chief negotiator, has offered to return to the Wa capital in another effort to convince the Wa leadership to become a part of Burma’s armed forces, according to a reliable source.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the Wa rejection to Ye Myint’s 27 April proposal to transform all ceasefire groups, including the United Wa State Army (UWSA), to transform themselves into the Burma Army’s border security forces, was conveyed to him on 20 May by the Wa representative in Rangoon. (According to Mizzima News, the decision to reject the proposal took place at a meeting in Panghsang on 19 May).
Lt-Gen Ye Myint and Bao Youxiang (Photo: UWSA's 20th anniversary publication)
Ye Myint was reported to have been conciliatory. “I’m sure there is a need for further clarifications on the merits of our proposition,” he was reported as saying. “And I would like to return to Panghsang for another meeting.”
Bao Youxiang, the supreme Wa leader, the source said, had okayed to the idea. The date for Ye Myint’s next visit, however, has yet to be fixed.
He has so far met the Wa leaders at least 3 times, according to the source.
The ruling generals, in April, had proposed that the ceasefire armies be reorganized as 326 strong units, commanded by ceasefire officers but run by officers from the Burma Army.
“It will totally change the chain of command,” commented Hkun Okker, Joint Secretary #3 of the opposition National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) yesterday. “The KIA (Kachin Independence Army) will be severed from the KIO (Kachin Independence Organization), its political wing, and the UWSA from the UWSP (United Wa State Party). This is a more dangerous situation than surrender. When you surrender, at least you can go home and till your farm. With the new arrangement, you will be enslaved forever.”
Wa’s closest allies: Kokang, Mongla and the Shan State Army (SSA) North, say they are also standing pat.
As for armed groups that were created out of ethnic armies that had surrendered, they were reportedly summoned by Naypyitaw on 17 May to be informed that they would become police forces. Each armed group are required to report to the township police chief concerned.
Due to tension along the border, the governor of Chiangmai convened an ad hoc meeting village headmen, 21-22 May, to discuss how to handle possible spillovers into land.
