Wa National Army
| Wa National Army | |
|---|---|
| ဝအမျိုးသားတပ်မတော် | |
| Leaders | Mahasang Lu Mong |
| 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 |
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]
After Maha Sang died in 2007, the WNA came under the control of the United Wa State Army. Colonel Lu Mong stated to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 2024 that the UWSA and WNA "are the same group."[4] [5]
See also
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Exposing the suspected barons of Australia’s meth trade. ABC News. Mahmood Fazal. April 22, 2024.
- ^ Bordered by History: Tension in the Thailand-Myanmar Frontier (Part II). Stratsea. Don Pathan. March 21, 2025.