Wa National Army

Wa National Army
ဝအမျိုးသားတပ်မတော်
LeadersMahasang
Dates of operation29 July 1974 (1974-07-29) – present
Active regionsShan State;
Myanmar–Thailand border
IdeologyWa nationalism
Separatism
Size200[1]
Part ofWa National Organisation
Allies Kuomintang (until 1980s)
Shan State Army (until 1977)
OpponentsState opponents

Non-state opponents

Battles and warsInternal conflict in Myanmar

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]

History

The 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

References

  1. ^ I. Rotberg, Robert (1998). Burma: Prospects for a Democratic Future. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815791690.
  2. ^ a b Tucker, Shelby (2001). Burma: Curse of Independence. Pluto Press. p. 6. ISBN 9780745315416. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Lintner, Bertil (1999). Burma in Revolt: Opium and Insurgency since 1948. Silkworm Books. p. 17. ISBN 9781630411848.