The Wa National Army (Burmese: ဝအမျိုးသားတပ်မတော်; abbreviated WNA) is an insurgent group that operates in Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), near Myanmar's border with Thailand.[2] It is the armed wing of the Wa National Organisation (WNO).[3]
| Wa National Army | |
|---|---|
| ဝအမျိုးသားတပ်မတော် | |
 | |
| Leaders | Mahasang |
| Dates of operation | 29 July 1974 – present |
| Active regions | Shan State; Myanmar–Thailand border |
| Ideology | Wa nationalism Separatism |
| Size | 200[1] |
| Part of | Wa National Organisation |
| Allies |  Kuomintang (until 1980s) Shan State Army (until 1977) |
| Opponents | State opponents
Non-state opponents |
| Battles and wars | Internal conflict in Myanmar |
History
editThe WNA was founded along with the WNO on 29 July 1974, after the original group, a Ka Kwe Ye, joined forces with the Shan State Army (SSA) and Lo Hsing Han. The group was led by Mahasang, the son of the last sawbwa of Vingngun.[3]
In 1977, the WNA broke ties with the SSA and allied themselves with the 3rd Kuomintang battalion operating near the Myanmar-China border, led by General Li Wenhuan. In 1983, the WNA's political wing, the Wa National Organisation, officially joined the National Democratic Front (NDF).[3]
In the 1980s, the WNA operated in northern Shan State, near the Myanmar-Thailand border, but not in the mountainous areas of the region, which were under the control of the Communist Party of Burma until 1989.[2]
In August 1997, the WNA signed a peace agreement with the military junta government.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ I. Rotberg, Robert (1998). Burma: Prospects for a Democratic Future. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815791690.
- ^ a b Tucker, Shelby (2001). Burma: Curse of Independence. Pluto Press. p. 6. ISBN 9780745315416. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d Lintner, Bertil (1999). Burma in Revolt: Opium and Insurgency since 1948. Silkworm Books. p. 17. ISBN 9781630411848.