![]() | This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Missing information related to the UWSA's role in the Myanmar civil war (2021–present). (July 2023) |
United Wa State Army | |
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Kru' Naing' Rob Rom' Hak Tiex Praog 佤邦联合军 ဝပြည် သွေးစည်းညီညွတ်ရေး တပ်မတော် | |
![]() Flag of the United Wa State Army | |
Leaders | Bao Youxiang Zhao Zhongdang Bao Aichan |
Dates of operation | 17 April 1989 | – present
Headquarters | Pangkham, Myanmar |
Active regions | Wa Self-Administered Division (Wa State) |
Ideology | Wa nationalism[1] |
Size | 30,000[2] |
Part of | United Wa State Party |
Allies | State allies
Non-state allies |
Opponents | State opponents
Non-state opponents
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Battles and wars | Internal conflict in Myanmar |
The United Wa State Army (Parauk: Kru' Naing' Rob Rom' Hak Tiex Praog, simplified Chinese: 佤邦联合军; traditional Chinese: 佤邦聯合軍; pinyin: Wǎbāng Liánhéjūn; Burmese: ဝပြည် သွေးစည်းညီညွတ်ရေး တပ်မတော်, IPA: [wa̰ pjì θwésí ɲìɲʊʔjé taʔmədɔ̀]), abbreviated as the UWSA or the UWS Army, is the military wing of the United Wa State Party (UWSP), the de facto ruling party of Wa State (officially known as the Wa Self-Administered Division) in Myanmar. It is a well-equipped ethnic minority army of an estimated 20,000[1]–30,000[2] Wa soldiers, led by Bao Youxiang. The UWSA was formed after the collapse of the armed wing of the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) in 1989.[5]
The UWSA announced its territory as the "Wa State Government Special Administrative Region" on 1 January 2009.[6] The de facto President is Bao Youxiang, and the Vice President is Xiao Minliang.[7][8] Although the Government of Myanmar does not officially recognise the sovereignty of Wa State, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) has frequently allied with the UWSA to fight against Shan nationalist militia groups, such as the Shan State Army (RCSS).[9]
Despite being de facto independent from Myanmar, the Wa State officially recognizes Myanmar's sovereignty over all of its territory.[10] In 1989 the two parties signed a ceasefire agreement, and in 2013 signed a peace deal.[11] As the largest non-state armed group in Myanmar, it has effectively led the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) since 2017, representing nearly every pre-2021 non-ceasefire signatory armed groups.[12] In not seeking independence or secession, UWSA is unlike most of the ethnic armed organizations in Myanmar.[13]: 4