By Jinnah
Political
The Wa are part of the Mon-Khmer ethnic group populate two separate areas, the southern edge of Yunnan Province in China, and some part of northern Shan State on the Salween River in Burma. In the Wa area the capital city is 'Panghsang'.
The Wa were not invaded by the British nor by the Japanese. Although the Wa were included in Shan State by British Government, they were not a part of the "Federated Shan States" formed in 1922. After the Second World War there was a lot of fighting among the Wa community and during that time the Kuomintang, communists from China, took control of a small part of Shan State in the north. But by 1954 they had been driven out of the Wa area.
The Communist Party of Burma (CPB) established itself in Shan State in 1968 and set up the People's Army. Many Wa groups joined the People's Army and made up a large portion of this armed group. But on March 12, 1989, there was a mutiny against the CPB and later that year the Was' rebelled.
After the Wa uprising against the CPB and the communist leadership on 17 April 1989 was driven out. The group called themselves the Burma National Solidarity Party, which was later, renamed the United Wa State Party (UWSP), with a military wing, the United State Wa Army (UWSA). On May 18, 1989, a ceasefire agreement was reached between the UWSP and Rangoon Government.
For controlling over the area in southern Shan State, Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army (MTA) attacked. As the results, the UWSA won and had power over that area, while Khun Sa surrendered to the Burmese military in January 1996. Shan splinter groups that refused to surrender reformed as the Shan State Army (SSA) - South, and continuously fight as an active armed group in the southern of Shan State.
Consequently, the UWSA with almost 20,000 soldiers became the largest and strongest force among the ethnic opposition armed forces. Thus, they have never been trusted by the junta, even both of them often have cooperated. However, The Wa State also reportedly have good relations with the Chinese government.
People and Livelihood
The population of the Wa area in Burma was 600,000 in 2004. Of those 70 per cent are Wa, and the rest comprise of Lahu, Shan, Kachin, Han, Ainee, Lisu, Meo, Palaung, Hwe, Pen, Pulan, Akha, Mien, Karen and Laomia.
Most of Wa are animists but some are Buddhists and Christians. Before 1970s, head-hunting were practiced, human heads were shown at the entrance to each village in order to ward off evil spirits and ensure good harvests.
A mountainous land, between 600-3,000 meters above sea level, most of the Wa agriculture is hill rice in shifting cultivation. As the soil is poor and suitable for few crops, the rice harvest is not enough to support the family in the whole year. Most farmers grow opium crops, which are exchanged for rice and salt. The Wa people have been associated with opium for such a long time that it is included in traditional songs.
Forced resettlement program
At the end of 1999, the Burmese government and the United Wa State Party (UWSP) made approximately 126,000 people move from near the China border to Southern Shan State near Thai- Burma border. UWSP and SPDC have stated that the reason of the mass Wa resettlement is the eradicate of opium production, the land is more fertile in Southern Shan State, so people have more options of crops to grow, rather than just opium.
After the villagers arrived, many could not adjust themselves to the new different surroundings. During the year 2000, it was estimated that over 4,000 people died, of malaria and other diseases. The resettlement also has stimulated the tensions between the Wa and indigenous peoples, such as the Lahu, Akha and Shan.
Sources:
- The Lahu National Development Organisation, Unsettling moves: the Wa forces resettlement program in Eastern Shan State, 2002.
- The Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Wa and Narcotics Problems, 2004
