The Second Special Zone of Myanmar (Wa State) is an important part of the Union of Myanmar. It consists of two areas: south and north. It covers an area of ??approximately 17,000 square kilometers. The population is about 400,000. The southern area borders Thailand, covering an area of ??about 13,000 square kilometers and a population of about 200,000. Most of the leaders of Wa State are from the Wa ethnic group.

1 Geographical location

The Second Special Zone of Myanmar (Wa State) is an important part of the Union of Myanmar. It consists of two areas: south and north. The northern area is located in the northeastern part of Myanmar, approximately between 22° and 23° north latitude and 98° and 100° east longitude. To the northeast is Gengma County and Cangyuan County in Lincang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, and Lancang County and West Pu'er City. It borders Mengxian County, Menglian County, and Menghai County of Xishuangbanna Prefecture. To the north it is connected to Myanmar's First Special Administrative Region (Kokang). To the south it is adjacent to the 4th Special Zone of Shan State in Myanmar. To the west is the Salween River (Nu River), the second largest river in Myanmar, facing Gunong, Dangyang and other towns across the river. It covers an area of ??about 17,000 square kilometers. The population is about 400,000. The southern area borders Thailand, covering an area of ??about 13,000 square kilometers and a population of about 200,000. Most of the leaders of Wa State are from the Wa ethnic group.

Second History

The history of Myanmar’s Second Special Administrative Region (Wa State) can be divided into three stages:

The first stage: the years before 1967 millennium.

It is a long historical stage of Wa State. This period of history is the stage of change at the end of primitive society and the early stage of feudal society. Ghosts and gods dominate people's thoughts, and hereditary mountain officials and chiefs rule the entire society, which is expressed in the tribal system. The entire Wa State is divided into dozens of tribes, large and small (called "En" in Wa language). After the 1950s, due to the intervention of external armed forces, tribal armed organizations (called Self-Defense Forces) such as Bulaiwu, Yanshuai, Yonghe, Yanxiaoshi, and Zhadi appeared in the Wa State. These armed organizations and tribes killed each other, causing constant wars and depriving the people of their livelihood.

The Wa State was historically a territory under the jurisdiction of Chinese territorial divisions. However, for most of the time, it consisted of numerous tribes of chieftains scattered throughout the country, and no unified political power emerged. In the Ming Dynasty, it belonged to the chieftain territories of Mengding Prefecture, Menglian Prefecture, and Menggen Prefecture. In the Qing Dynasty, some areas were separated from the control of the original chieftains and became Outuo areas. The more famous ones include Hulu and Mangleng.

Geographically speaking, Wa State is far away from the federal government of Myanmar, which makes the government lose control of the administrative power of this area. Starting in 1948, the people of all ethnic groups in Wa State were led by the Kuomintang for 20 years. In 1966, four guerrilla groups appeared in Wa State and began to weaken the power of the Kuomintang. In 1969, the Myanmar Communist Party took advantage of the fact that the Wa State area was a weak area managed by the federal government, and controlled the Wa State for another 20 years. The Wa State broke away from the erroneous leadership of the Communist Party of Myanmar in 1989, reached a ceasefire agreement with the federal government of Myanmar in May of that year, and has since embarked on the path of peaceful development. During the British rule in Myanmar, the Wa State was separated from British Myanmar and had the name Wa State.

The second stage (1967-1989):

In times of crisis when tribes were fighting and people of all ethnic groups were in darkness, many people with lofty ideals in the Wa State bravely stood up. They realized that in order to save the people who were in dire straits, the reactionary tribal system must be overthrown. Revolutionary armed forces must be organized to achieve the reunification and reconciliation of the Wa State.

In June 1966, leaders headed by Bao Youxiang and Bao Sanban organized the Kunma guerrillas.

In May 1967, leaders headed by Yan Ken and Yan Kron organized the Yancheng guerrillas.

In 1968, leaders headed by Lu Xingguo organized the Hushuang guerrillas.

In February 1969, leaders headed by Zhao Nilai organized the Shopa guerrillas.

The emergence of these guerrillas inspired the people's desire for liberation and received their support and love. The people actively joined the army to participate in the war and passed on information, and the team developed rapidly. But these guerrilla organizations are spontaneous and decentralized. It is very limited for the unification and liberation of Wa State.

The leaders of all guerrilla groups unanimously realized that they must have unified organization, unified leadership, and unified command. Leaders such as Zhao Nilai, Bao Youxiang, Lu Xingguo, and Yan Khen strengthened their contacts, and after many twists and turns, they found the Communist Party of Myanmar. Sincerely invite the Communist Party of Myanmar to lead the guerrillas in making revolution.

In March 1969, representatives of the Myanmar Communist Party came to Shopa and Hushuang, and in July to Kunma and Yancheng. After repeated consultations and close cooperation, representatives of the Myanmar Communist Party and the guerrilla leaders reorganized the guerrilla groups. The 4048th Battalion of the Northeast Military Region of the Myanmar People's Army was established based on the Hushuang guerrillas, the 4049th Battalion was established based on the Shopa guerrillas, the 502nd Battalion was established based on the Kunma guerrillas, and the Yancheng guerrillas were established. foundation, the 501st Battalion was established.

After the army was established, the Jiangdong Command was formed. Members of the command include: Zhou Kunxi, Guo Zhiming, Yang Fukang, Lu Xingguo, Guo Zhi, Zhao Nilai, Bao Youxiang and others. After the headquarters was established, Mengmao (new place) was liberated on April 30, 1970, and then Yingpan, Bangyao, Jinchang and other places were liberated. According to the orders of the Northeast Military Region, Troops 4048 and 4049 went to fight in other areas, while Troops 501 and 502 stayed in the Wa State area to fight.

In November 1971, Wa State troops and militia participated in the Battle of Gunong.

In March 1972, the headquarters of the Myanmar Northeast Military Region moved to Mengmao, and the troops stationed in Wa State included 4045, 4046, 4047, 3035, artillery battalions, etc. By the end of this year, most of the territory of Wa State was liberated, and the northern Wa and southern Wa were unified. In 1973, the Mengbo area, most of the Mengyan area, and Mengning were liberated. In April 1973, the Northeast Military Region Headquarters moved to Bangkang, and in July 1978, the Central Headquarters also moved to Bangsang, where it remained until April 16, 1989.

The Communist Party of Myanmar has been in the Wa State for 20 years, with Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought as its guiding ideology; class struggle as its key link; farmers as its basis; military as its center; and its countryside surrounding the city. The policy and line of winning the war and seizing power liberated and unified the Wa State, freeing the Wa people from the shackles and shackles of tribal rule. The Wa people will never forget it.

In the past 20 years, in addition to the above troop numbers, the Myanmar Army has also formed the 2nd Brigade, the 5th Brigade, the 8th Brigade, the 683rd Brigade, the 685th Brigade, the 768th Brigade, the 859th Brigade, the 12th Brigade, and the 6th Brigade. , 7th Brigade, 48th Division, 68th Division and other unit numbers. In local areas, militias have also been widely established, and county brigades have been established in each county. The armed forces have formed a three-combination system of militia, local army and main force.

In terms of local government, Beiwa County, Nanwa County, Jingbei County, and Bangshan Special Zone were established.

In the past 20 years, the Myanmar Communist Party has built more than 20 schools and 5 hospitals for the Wa State, mobilized the masses to build 300 kilometers of roads in the dry season, and carried out some farmland irrigation and trenching projects. Work.

On September 9, 1985, the Myanmar Communist Party held its third National Congress. Comrade Zhao Ming was elected as a member of the Central Committee. Zhao Nilai, Bao Youxiang, and Li Ziru were elected as alternate members of the Central Committee. Before and after the Third National Congress of the Myanmar Communist Party, many internal problems occurred: the base areas became smaller and smaller, the class struggle became more and more intense, the main leaders of the central government were aging, their ideas were rigid, and their dogmatism was very stubborn. Nationalism and sectarianism are becoming increasingly evident, and cadres are cultivating cronies and forming cliques. After years of war, the lives of the masses have declined year by year, and the troops have been in short supply... In response to this situation, many middle- and lower-level cadres at that time put forward many suggestions for improvement, but the main leaders of the Myanmar Communist Party refused to listen and even labeled them as "anti-party". Under this circumstance, on March 11, Peng Jiasheng, the former deputy commander of the Northeast Military Region of the Myanmar Army, announced in Kokang that he would break away from the leadership of the Myanmar Army and establish the Kokang National Democratic Alliance Army.

In order to solve the problem of food and clothing for the people, the Wa State government decided to implement the development of agriculture as a key project in the Third Five-Year Plan (1999-2003). In order to strengthen the leadership of agricultural work, the "Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Resources" was established in February 1998. Comrade Zhao Wenguang, member of the Political Bureau of the United Party Central Committee, was appointed as minister.

We also tried our best to obtain assistance and cooperation from international anti-drug organizations and the federal government, and decided to develop food bases in Mengjia, Wangleng, and Nafan. The current budget of the international anti-drug organization is US$15 million, the federal government has invested 26 million kyats, and the Wa State government has allocated 10 million yuan as development funds for three food bases. We will strive to achieve food self-sufficiency in the entire Wa State by the end of the third five-year plan.

(11) Transportation Construction

In the 1960s, Wa State had only one temporary road from Huban to Mengmao, and it was in disrepair for many years. Traffic in the entire Wa State is very congested. Transportation relies on people's backs, shoulders, and horses. The Myanmar Communist Party has been in power for 20 years and has been busy fighting. It has only built 300 kilometers of single-lane roads. In the past ten years of peace construction, transportation construction has been listed as a major project in the first and second five-year plans. 3,000 kilometers of rough roads have been built, of which 730 kilometers of traffic trunk lines have been paved or are being paved with marble pavement, and more than 90 kilometers The district has built roads.

In transportation construction, 13 bridges including Hedao, Mengkang, Hazhong, Longquan and Nanban were also built with a cost of more than 500,000 yuan, and 19 large and small bridges were repaired, including There are 7 buildings funded by the federal government.

Ten years of hardship, ten years of glory. Now the transportation network in Wa State has been initially formed, and the traffic congestion situation has fundamentally changed.

(12) Energy Construction

Energy is a symbol of social progress and an important foundation for liberating productivity and developing industry, agriculture, and processing industries. Before 1989, Wa State had only one 70-kilowatt hydroelectric power station. In the second five-year plan for peace construction, the Wa State government decided to build four hydroelectric power stations in Wa State starting in 1996 in order to solve the urgent power problem in economic development. These power stations are:

(1) Songpu Power Station: installed capacity of 7,500 kilowatts, located in Nanban River, 29 kilometers west of Bangkang City;

(2) Rongzhai Power Station: installed capacity 2,000 kilowatts, located on the Rongzhai River, 29 kilometers east of Mengmao (Xindi);

(3) Kangda Power Station: with an installed capacity of 1,200 kilowatts, located on the Nanda River, 5 kilometers south of Nandeng;

(4) Kunma Power Station: with an installed capacity of 800 kilowatts, it is located on the Nanma River 3 kilometers west of Kunma.

All four power stations were put into operation before April 1999. The completion of the four power stations has laid a solid foundation for the construction and development of Wa State.

(13) Finance, Commerce, and Mining

When they broke away from Myanmar, what they left behind were 90,000 kilograms of rice, 700 old shields, and 4 Hong Kong dollars. Ten thousand yuan, 3,600 yuan, 50 U.S. dollars, 300,000 kyats, and still had debts left. I was really broke at that time. Before 1990, finance was maintained by raising funds, borrowing from the masses, and collecting donations. In 1990, the fiscal revenue was 10 million yuan and the expenditure was more than 9 million yuan, with a slight surplus. After 1991, the income increased year by year, the balance of payments was balanced, and there was a certain amount of accumulation. Compared with 1990, fiscal revenue and expenditure increased nearly eight times in 1998. The sources of fiscal revenue are:

1. Federal government allocations accounted for 20

2 , Private donations accounted for 12%

3. Business income accounted for 18%

4. Taxes accounted for 20%

5. Stock dividends accounted for 19%

6. Minerals accounted for 10%

7. Tourism accounted for 1%

In terms of commerce and trade: In order to solve the problem of construction funds, it is necessary to look for financial resources outside the Wa State. After reporting to the federal government, it was agreed that the Wa State would Commercial activities are carried out in large and medium-sized cities in Myanmar. In order to facilitate leadership and management, the "Wa State Comprehensive Development and Trading Corporation" was established in Lashio in December 1990. And successively established branches in Yangon, Wacheng, Dongzhi, Kengdong, Tachileik, Muse and other towns. Later, he applied to the federal government for mining jewelry and jade, which was approved. He successively opened branches in Mengxiu and Pagan , Mogok and other organizations mine gems and jade.

In order to expand channels and operate in multiple ways, Hongbang Company, Yixing Company, Dekang Company, Kanglong Company, Kangxiang Jewelry Company, 999 Company, Feiya Company, Wa Youma Company, and Simao Jinfeng Hotel have been established in the past ten years. , Bangkang Water Company, Kangle Co., Ltd., Wa Bank, Hengyuan Tobacco Industrial Manufacturing Company, Dangyang Red Brick Factory, Muse Water Company and other commercial and financial units. There are more than 5,000 cadres and workers engaged in business. They learn in practice, from not knowing how to do business to learning how to do business, and from not knowing how to manage to learning how to manage. We have paid a lot of money in the development process, and we have had successful experiences as well as lessons from failures. Now a comprehensive business network has taken shape. The establishment of these commercial and trade units has increased Wa State's fiscal revenue year by year. Contributed to the economic construction of Wa State.

Mining: Wa State is rich in mineral deposits, but they have not yet been surveyed. In the past ten years, we have organized mining of the lead-zinc mine in Jinchang and the tin mine in Longtan. We have achieved some benefits, mastered some information, and trained a group of mining managers. This laid the foundation for future mining development.

In terms of mining, the federal government has given preferential treatment, allowing the Wa State to mine gemstones in Mengxiu and Mogu, and agreeing to mine jade in Pagang. It also welcomes the Wa State to operate the slag in Nan Madu, etc. . The mining of Mengxiu Gemstone Field has gone through many twists and turns, but is currently developing well and generating considerable benefits. Longtan Tin Mine has great potential, high grade and good quality. Measures are being taken to mine in a planned manner and destructive and destructive mining is strictly prohibited. The Wa State government plans to develop 2-3 key mining plants in the third five-year plan. As the leader of Wa State's mining development, it will become an important pillar of Wa State's economic construction and a solid foundation for comprehensive plant and drug prohibition.

(14) Urban Construction

During the Burmese Revolutionary Period, Wa State had only the Burmese *** Radio Station in Bangkang and several brick-and-timber tile-structured buildings at the headquarters of the Northeast Military Region. House, with a construction area of ??about 2,000 square meters, and there is not a single decent street in the country. During the ten years of peaceful construction, urban construction has developed rapidly. Bangkang has begun to take shape as a town. In order to welcome the ten-year anniversary, the town was re-planned in 1998, the streets were widened, underground ditches were laid, tap water pipes were installed, and Standardized energy lines. Sports fields and auditoriums were also built. Many buildings have also been built in Nandeng, Mengmao, Kunma, Wangleng, Mengbo, Hedao, Mengpian and other places. The national construction area is about 1 million square meters, 500 times that of 1989. Markets, streets The road surface is being standardized year by year, and the city appearance is changing.

(15) Drug cultivation and anti-drug policies

Since Myanmar became a colony of the British Empire in 1885, opium (poppy) has been introduced to Myanmar. Wa State belongs to the Shan State Plateau, with many mountains and few flat dams. Its geography, climate and soil are suitable for poppy cultivation. For more than a hundred years, poppy cultivation has been the main source of income for the people. The masses did not understand its poisonous nature and only used opium in exchange for food, clothing, salt and other daily necessities to maintain the lowest life. In addition, in the past, the Wa State was a primitive tribal society with very backward culture, science, and transportation. Opium became a cure-all drug for the masses, and many people became addicted to the bad habit of smoking opium. Drug cultivation, drug use, and drug trafficking in the Wa State have far-reaching consequences. historical social background.

During the Myanmar Communist regime, although there were calls for drug control, there were no practical measures and actions. Drug bans have no real effect.

Anti-drug work

After the Wa State broke away from Myanmar in 1989, the Central Committee of the United Party realized the dangers of drug cultivation and the difficulty of anti-drug work. We are determined to complete the anti-drug work as an important historical mission.

On August 26, 1990, the Wa State issued the document "Wa State's Strategies and Measures for the Eradication of Smoking Banned Plants"; on June 11, 1991, The "Anti-Narcotics Ordinance" was promulgated; on February 1, 1992, General Secretary Zhao Nilai, on behalf of the Wa State, presided over an activity involving the participation of international anti-drug organizations and the federal government to eliminate more than 3,000 acres of opium seedlings in Yunxian; On June 2 of the same year, a drug processing factory worth more than 90 million U.S. dollars was burned down in Nawei District, Mengmao County; on March 8, 1994, Jingdong strategic commander Wu Juewen led China, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom to Ambassadors and military attachés from 11 countries, including China, France and Australia, went to Yongding and Hedao to participate in the burning of two drug processing factories; on July 24, 1994, the "Regulations on Strengthening Drug Management in the Wa State Area" were issued "Several Decisions" and established a drug control committee; on May 17, 1995, the Wa State government made the "Action Plan on Realizing Three-Year Drug-Free Zones in Parts of Wa State"; in order to further implement the anti-plant and anti-drug plan, a On November 27, 1996, an inspection brigade at the regimental level was established. Inspection squadrons and squads were established in counties and special zones; in December 1996, the Central Committee of the United Party made a decision to the whole party, army and people to "realize the entire Wa State as a drug-free zone by the year 2005".

After ten years of hard work, the Wa State’s planting area and drug production are decreasing year by year: in 1990, the planting area was about 10,000 acres, and the output was about 60,000 kilograms.

In 1994, the planting area was about 8,000 acres, and the output was about 48,000 kilograms.

In 1997, the planting area was about 5,000 acres, and the output was about 30,000 kilograms.

In order to achieve the goal of complete drug control, in the past ten years, especially since the Second Five-Year Plan (1994), units and individuals have been encouraged and mobilized to experiment with cash crops, and investment in alternative crops has been increased. Get better results. In the Bangkang area, units and individuals such as the Artillery Regiment, Independent Regiment, 418th Division, Bangkang Special Zone, and Wanbeng Farm have planted more than 10,000 acres of rubber, coffee, and fruit trees; Nandeng Special Zone, Mengmao County, Longtan Special Economic Zone, Mengbo County, etc. The unit mobilized the masses and adapted measures to local conditions to plant more than 50,000 acres of rubber, tea, lychee, mango, fir and other cash crops, which are currently growing well. The southern region has a warm climate and fertile soil. More than 800,000 teak trees have been planted in the 171st Military Region. Two longan bases have been developed and more than 5,000 acres of longan saplings have been planted.

The work of prohibiting species and drugs in Wa State is a difficult and long-term task, and there is no room for optimism. As a small number of drug manufacturers and traffickers at home and abroad seeking high profits have adopted various methods to openly or covertly oppose the Wa State's anti-drug policy, they have failed to combat these resistance forces, international aid has been slow to materialize, and the Wa State's anti-drug resistance has remained Very big. Some areas where cultivation has been banned have recurred, and the phenomenon of mass exodus has become more prominent. They have moved to other places to continue cultivating drugs... However, the Wa State government is determined to control drugs. As long as the whole party, the army and the people of all ethnic groups are united, and the international community With the assistance and cooperation of anti-drug organizations and the federal government, the Wa State’s anti-drug cause will surely achieve a comprehensive victory! The grand goal of turning the entire Wa State into a drug-free region by 2005 will definitely be achieved!