The United Wa State Party/Army (UWSP/UWSA) should be one of the signatories of the planned Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), said U Aung Min, Vice Chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) on Saturday, 11 July.
He made the statement while meeting representatives of the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) and Restoration Council of Shan State/ Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) at Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) in Rangoon.
President Thein Sein and Bao Youri of UWSP/UWSA meets in Kengtung, 8 May 2015. Satanding behind Bao is Zhao Zhongdang, UWSA deputy commander-in-chief.
The UWSA and its closest ally the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA or Mongla group) have so far maintained that as the ceasefire, which was signed in 1989, is still observed by both sides, there is no need to sign the NCA. Both say they are waiting for the political dialogue to start so they can join it.
But U Aung Min said the NCA is not just about a ceasefire. he said: “It also includes sections on political dialogue, federalism and the Unlawful Association Act [better known as Section 17/1].” He told the Shan and Karen representatives: “Only by signing the NCA, can these guarantees be fulfilled.”
An MPC official added: “If the Wa are allowed to take part in the political dialogue without signing the NCA, then it is likely other groups may also follow suit. How can we let that happen?”
Since 1993 the UWSA has been calling for a Wa State and the NDAA has been asking for for Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) status.
U Aung Min said a union minister had been assigned to talk with the Wa leadership. No further details were given.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
