Wa holds council of war

 
Wa holds council of war
 

The United Wa State Army (UWSA), despite pressure by the Burma Army to vacate their mountain bases on the Thai-Burma border, has resolved to hang tough, according to sources who were informed of the recent biannual meeting held in Panghsang, 19-22 July.

      

Four major decisions were reportedly taken at the meeting presided over by Xiao Minliang, the group's Vice Chairman:

·         To ignore Burma Army's order to pull out from their key bases (Only 4 small bases at Loi Kiu Hu Lom, between  Mongjawd and Hwe Aw were withdrawn on 22 July, according to Thai and Shan sources)

·         To resume the relocation of Wa civilians from the north to the Thai-Burma border (opposite Wiang Haeng, Pai and Pang  Mapha districts) after the monsoons (According to Unsettling Moves, a report by Lahu National Development Organization, more than 120,000 had been forcibly relocated along the border areas between 1999-2001)

·         Approved the release of Col Wei Hsaitang (known as one of the Wa's best fighting commanders) who was imprisoned in    2002 for a number of offenses including manufacture of counterfeit currencies

·         To replenish the UWSA's stocks of weapons and ammunition by special purchase from the neighboring country

According to Radio Free Asia, the Wa dispatched a delegation to Kengtung, headquarters of the Burma Army's Triangle Command, to parley. No further details on the mission have been received so far.
 
The Wa, since 17 July, one day before the opening of the final session of the Burma Army-organized constitutional convention, where its delegates also attended, has been under pressure to withdraw from their bases along the Thai-Burma border.