United Wa State Army (UWSA) soldiers participate in a 2019 military parade to commemorate 30 years of a ceasefire signed with the Myanmar military. Photo: AFP
Could Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups turn the tide against the junta, with a little help from Beijing?
- Groups such as the Arakan Army are putting aside their differences to condemn the coup, pressuring the army – though others have thrown in their lot with the military
- Some of them receive arms from China, including the United Wa State Army, which could shake things up if it joined the side of democratic resistance
United Wa State Army (UWSA) soldiers participate in a 2019 military parade to commemorate 30 years of a ceasefire signed with the Myanmar military. Photo: AFP