United Wa State Party

The United Wa State Party (UWSP) is a political organisation in Myanmar (Burma), which campaigns for the interests of the Wa people. It is the ruling party of Wa State, a de facto independent state in northern Shan State.[5][6] Its armed wing is the United Wa State Army (UWSA), and the chairman and commander in chief is Bao Youxiang.[1]

United Wa State Party
Burmese nameဝပြည် သွေးစည်း ညီညွတ်ရေး ပါတီ
Chinese name佤邦联合党
Wǎbāng Liánhé Dǎng
LeaderBao Youxiang[1]
ChairmanBao Youyi[2]
Secretary-GeneralZhao Nyi-Lai[2]
FounderZhao Nyi-Lai
Founded1989 (1989)
Split fromCommunist Party of Burma
HeadquartersPangkham
Armed wingUnited Wa State Army
IdeologyWa nationalism[3]
Maoism[4]
Political positionFar-left
Party flag

The UWSP was founded in 1989 by members of the Wa National Council (WNC), a group of Wa villagers, and former members of the Communist Party of Burma (CPB).[7] The party is reported to have good relations and a close connection with the Chinese Communist Party.

History

The first chairman of the UWSP was Zhao Nyi-Lai. He was a former military leader of the Sao Hin Saopha who joined the CPB in 1969. He was elected as a member of the CPB central committee in 1985.

In 1995, Zhao Nyi-Lai suffered a stroke and Bao Youxiang became the new chairman. Zhao Nyi-Lai remains as Secretary General of the party. In 2005, Bao Youxiang's health deteriorated and Bao Youyi, the elder brother of Bao Youxiang, took over the day-to-day activities of the UWSP/UWSA.[2] Wei Hsueh-kang was appointed as a Central Committee Member in 1996.[8] He is wanted for narcotic trafficking by the authorities in the United States.[9]

  • Bao Youxiang, UWSA chief
  • UWSA female soldiers stand at attention during ceremonies
  • UWSA soldiers stand at attention during ceremonies

See also

References
  1. Marshall, Andrew; Davis, Anthony. "Soldiers of Fortune". time.com. TIME magazine. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  2. "Jane's World Insurgency and Terrorism: United Wa State Army".
  3. Johnson, Tim (29 August 2009). China Urges Burma to Bridle Ethnic Militia Uprising at Border. The Washington Post.
  4. Booth, Christopher. "Myanmar: Is it time for the West to Engage The United Wa State Army?". South Asia Journal. Retrieved 24 December 2020. The UWSA and United Wa State Party run a state that remains modeled on the CBP's [sic] Maoist structure led by a single leader.
  5. Davis, Anthony. "Wa army fielding new Chinese artillery, ATGMs". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  6. "Wa State: Shanzhai Version Of China Discovered in Myanmar". chinaSMACK. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  7. Chiangrai Times Archived 25 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Mizzima
  9. The Wa State, Page 3 last paragraph
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