Chinese presence in USWA-junta meet

A representative of the People’s Republic of China participated in the discussion between the Burmese junta’s Lt-Gen Ye Myint and ethnic armed group United Wa State Army (UWSA) leader Bao Youxiang on Thursday.

Wa leader Bao Youxiang

The Chinese official tried to negotiate on the February 25 meeting of the Wa ethnic leader and the junta’s top army officer at Tangyan township in Shan State of Eastern Burma on the contentious issue of the Border Guard Force, a UWSA officer told Kachin News Group.

“Yesterday evening they met and discussed for an hour at the Burmese military camp,” said a high ranking officer on condition of anonymity.

He said the Chinese government is anxious about the creation of an unstable situation on the border under UWSA control should there be a clash with the Burmese Army. It would destabilize tens of thousands of Chinese people, who are living and doing business there.

“The Chinese officer is negotiating to avoid clashes and broker peace between the Burmese Army and us,” the rebel officer said.

There will be no progress after the fresh meeting as neither side is giving into each other’s demand, he added.

Detailed information about the meeting is not available because the ethnic armed group leader and the delegates came back only today, said the UWSA officer.

According to the UWSA source this is the second meeting of their leader and the junta’s negotiator Lt-Gen Ye Myint.

Last year on November UWSA submitted a 9-point demand to the junta which was rejected.

Since 2009 April the junta has ordered all ethnic armed groups to change their army into the BGF but only the weak outfits and small groups have acquiesced. The major armed group like UWSA and Kachin Independent Army (KIA) has rejected the proposal.

Sino-Burma border based military analyst Aung Kyaw Zaw said, the junta’s plan to transform all armed groups into BGF might fail as only a few of the 17 ceasefire groups have accepted the proposal. Even the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which was toeing the line earlier, is now beginning to oppose it.

“Like DKBA, some of those on their side also showed reluctance with the junta’s plan to change to BGF,” said Aung Kyaw Zaw.

“They (junta) are talking about what they want and UWSA is also demanding what they prefer so there will be no agreement,” said Aung Kyaw Zaw.

Wa is preparing to defend itself against possible attack by the Burmese Army, which is showing signs of preparing for a military offensive, said the UWSA officer.

UWSA has a fighting strength of at least 30,000 troops with one or more local people from every family serving in the army.

The junta has set a deadline for February 28 to the Kachin Independence Organization, the political-wing of KIA to come clean on the BGF proposal.

Source :http://kachinnews.com/News/Chinese-presence-in-USWA-junta-meet.html

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