Brotherhood Alliance sees Wa group as partner in revolution 

By Admin 19 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
19 April 2023, Sittwe

The Brotherhood Alliance — a tripartite military coalition consisting of the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) — has affirmed their belief that the United Wa State Party (UWSP) will continue to contribute to the revolutionary cause in Myanmar.

The three ethnic armed groups said as much in their congratulatory message to the UWSP, the political wing of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed organisation (EAO), the United Wa State Army (UWSA), on the 34th anniversary of the UWSP’s founding.

The Brotherhood Alliance also said that the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which was formed at the suggestion of the UWSP, has been playing a crucial role promoting ties between member EAOs, and constitutes a strong foundation for protecting the interests of concerned ethnic groups in the fight against Burmanisation under Myanmar’s military regime. 

The UWSA and Brotherhood Alliance are close allies, and the former has long supplied the latter with arms and ammunition, according to political and military observers.

“The Brotherhood Alliance are members of the FPNCC, and they have military and political cooperation. Wa State is an autonomous region, and they have backed other EAOs. As the UWSA has made peace with the military council, all the ethnic peoples pin high hopes on the UWSA, which is the most powerful of them. [The Brotherhood Alliance] has sent a congratulatory message because the UWSA’s assistance is important for ethnic peoples,” said political observer U Pe Than.

The UWSP was formed on April 17, 1989, and is currently led by Bao Youxiang. The UWSP’s headquarters is located in Shan State’s Panghsang, along the Myanmar-China border.

In their congratulatory message, the Brotherhood Alliance also said Wa people are enjoying economic prosperity under the leadership of the UWSP.