CNI News
21 March 2024
Political and military analysts are reviewing and discussing what kind of state leaders of the United Wa State Party/the United Wa State Army (UWSP/UWSA) are demanding.
The leaders of the UWSP/UWSA tend to demand elected governments including leaders of the Tatmadaw to designate the Wa Self-administered Division as the Wa State.
The UWSA has recently won the confederation status and it possibly has demanded a type of state superior to the state provided by the 2008 Constitution, U Myo Kyaw, spokesperson of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), told CNI News.
While seeing Pankham (Pangsang) City, headquarters of the UWSA
" According to the 2008 Constitution, Wa is a special region. But Wa has demanded a state. In fact, Wa has won the confederate status. It has its sovereignty. The people from other states and regions can't enter the Wa region if the Wa authorities don't allow it. So, a kind of state that it has demanded will surely be superior to the current states' status that have been provided by the 2008 Constitution." he said.
Request to establish the Wa region as an autonomous national state by the UWSP/UWSA was agreed by policy, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council (SAC) at the press conference held on 1st June, 2022.
However, according to the multi-party democratic system, the matter would be discussed only after the Hluttaw was formed through a general election reportedly.
According to the 2008 Constitution, Hopang, Mongmao, Panwai, Namphan, Metman and Pangsang Townships in Shan State were divided into two districts and have been designated as the Wa Self-Administered Division.
If the UWSA wanted the state status, it could get the status of a state provided by the 2008 Constitution, Administrative, judiciary and legislative powers are controlled by the central government. Because the UWSA is currently practising three powers, it is beyond the 2008 Constitution.
While seeing Pankham (Pangsang) City, headquarters of the UWSA
So, there is something questionable about what kind of state the UWSA is demanding and how to solve a situation in which a state superior to the one that has been provided by the 2008 Constitution has not been allowed.
Because of rights such as national equal rights and self-determination, armed conflicts emerged and problems relating to the constitution needed to be solved, Dr.Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), told CNI News.
" Armed conflicts have emerged due to the lack of national autonomy and equal rights. If all the stakeholders understand the problems. are related to the constitution, they can overcome the idea of having to dogmatically grip the 2008 constitution. In order to overcome this, if we found a political exit, the form that the union will be formed will be superior to the 2008 Constitution. If the union was formed only after the rights were changed, we would be able to find an answer that can solve armed conflicts, I think." he said.
After the Three Brotherhood Alliance (AA, TNLA and MNDAA) attacked and captured Hopang and Panglon in January, 2024, the UWSA seized control of these towns.
