Ethnic Wa Party Chief Resigns After Pledging to Cooperate With Myanmar Junta

By The Irrawaddy 16 August 2021

The Wa National Party (WNP) chairman Sai Pao Nup has resigned after pledging to cooperate with the military regime. The former leader of the Wa peoples’ ethnic organization signed a joint statement along with the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) agreeing to work with the junta.

Sai Pao Nup signed the statement without the approval of the WNP’s central executive committee (CEC), so undermining public confidence in the party, said the CEC.

“He has submitted his resignation of his own volition and the party has accepted it,” said Sai Nup, a senior member of the WNP.

On August 4, Sai Pao Nup signed a joint declaration of 28 political parties led by the USDP welcoming the election to be held by the military regime and pledging to cooperate with the junta’s security measures.

The WNP issued a statement distancing themselves from their chairman on August 6, saying his acts deviated from the party’s democratic norms, rules and objectives. Sai Pao Nup resigned his position and party membership on August 10.

The Wa Youths Network based in Lashio, Shan State also denounced Sai Pao Nup for signing the joint statement with the USDP and warned the WNP against cooperating with the regime. The network said Sai Pao Nup had tarnished the image of the Wa people by signing the statement as a representative of a Wa political party.

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