CNI News
3 August 2024
Military and political analysts are reviewing and discussing about why the troops of the United Wa State Party (UWSP/UWSA) entered Lashio where battles were severely breaking out.
The UWSA troops entered Lashio after informing the Myanmar Tatmadaw in advance on 27th July and deployed in some places.
The entry of UWSA forces might be possible to avoid further casualties from both sides and to reduce the damage of the city, Col. Khun Okkar, patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) told CNI News.
" In my opinion, it's likely that Wa intervened to avoid further casualties from both sides. Moreover, because the Wa troops are stationed in the city, air strikes can be reduced. And then, the city isn't damaged anymore. Although a city could be captured, if there are no people in that city, only broken houses will remain, there is no benefit. The city was not destroyed, only the administration changed. The new administration made schools and hospitals better. It could make residents more secure. It is called 'capture' as well. It is not good to capture the city only when it has turned into a big pile of ashes and bricks. So, Wa has maintained to avoid further damages, I think." he said.
At present, battles are severely breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the MNDAA ally joint forces in Lashio. Wa troops entered Tangyan about 70 miles away from Lashio in multitude on 11th July.
The situation could be complicated if the armed conflict breaking out in northern Shan State spread to the south; organizations concerned needed to sit at the political roundtable, Sao Khun Sai, a person participating in the peace process, told CNI News.
While seeing a damaged building in Lashio
" northern Shan State, southern Shan State and eastern Shan State - there are different situations among them. Although the situations in eastern and southern parts of Shan State are not bad, the situations can change. I'm not sure whether the situations will change into better or worse. As a worse situation, if the conflicts in northern spread to the south and the east, the conditions many be complicated. So, all the stakeholders need to meet and discuss. If all the stakeholders including the UWSA and the RCSS accept that they need to discuss politically, the potential for peace is good." he said.
The UWSA controlled Hopang and Pan Lon which the Three Brotherhood Alliance captured during the first wave of Operation-1027 and the two towns were put under the administration of the UWSA.
The MNDAA force seen in Lashio
Myanmar was in a situation to collapse because of military conflicts.
Moreover, because of economic crisis, manufacturing decline; suspension of trading and damage to businesses, lives of the people were in a hopeless situation, problems should be solved in peaceful ways including political talks, stated the UWSP/UWSP on 30th July.
Moreover, the UWSP/UWSA released it would implement the peace with its own strength.
