Myanmar’s Ethnic Armed Groups Operate Parallel Legal Systems
Many of Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups run parallel legal systems along the country’s borders.
Death Penalty Imposed in Public Trial
A Myanmar ethnic armed group, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), has sentenced a man to death for murder following a public trial in a town recently captured from the junta, media affiliated to the group reported. The man was sentenced for murdering an eight-year-old girl, Wa News Land said yesterday. The girl was killed in August during a robbery at a grocery shop in the town of Hopang, in Shan state, and the authorities arrested the man two months later, the post said.
Close Ties with China
The UWSA is the best-equipped of Myanmar’s dozen or so ethnic armed groups and has close ties to China, which analysts say supplies much of its weaponry. The group runs a semi-autonomous enclave on the border with China’s Yunnan province, which uses China’s yuan currency and gets its electricity and internet from Chinese providers.
Control of Territory
The group took control of Hopang in January after an allied ethnic armed group captured the territory from the military and handed it over. At the public trial in a "cultural park" in the town, six others were sentenced to life imprisonment or lengthy jail terms, Wa News Land said without specifying their crimes.
No Execution in Public
"The death penalty is imposed but we would not execute him in public," a judicial official told the outlet. This is not an isolated incident, as many of Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups run parallel legal systems in territory they hold along the country’s borders.
Not the Only Incident
In April, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) executed three of its personnel for murder and for selling weapons and ammunition stolen from the group. This demonstrates that the trend of parallel legal systems is not unique to the UWSA.
Conclusion
The presence of parallel legal systems in Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups raises concerns about the rule of law and human rights in the country. The UWSA’s decision to impose a death penalty in a public trial is a step in the right direction, but the fact that it would not execute the man in public raises questions about the effectiveness of the system. The existence of parallel legal systems in Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups is a complex issue that requires a thorough examination of the root causes of the conflict and the effectiveness of the solutions proposed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the United Wa State Army (UWSA)?
A: The UWSA is a Myanmar ethnic armed group that is the best-equipped of Myanmar’s dozen or so ethnic armed groups.
Q: What is the purpose of the parallel legal systems run by Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups?
A: The purpose is to demonstrate their authority and control over territory they hold along the country’s borders.
Q: How does China play a role in the UWSA’s activities?
A: China supplies much of the UWSA’s weaponry and provides electricity, internet, and currency to its semi-autonomous enclave on the border with China’s Yunnan province.