Mongko Region Defence Army

{{Short description|1995–2000 participant in the Myanmar Civil War}}

{{Infobox war faction

| name = Mongko Region Defence Army

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| war = the Internal conflict in Myanmar

| image =

| caption =

| active = {{Start date|1995|8|df=y}} – {{End date|2000|11|24|df=y}}

| ideology =

| leaders = Mong Hsala
Li Nimen

| clans =

| headquarters = Mongko, Mu Se District, Shan State

| area = Shan State,
China–Myanmar border

| size =

| partof =

| predecessor = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.svg}} MNDAA

| successor =

| split =

| allies = {{flag|Myanmar}}

{{flagicon image|Flag of the Myanmar Armed Forces.svg}} Tatmadaw

{{flagicon image|Flag of Myanmar (1974-2010).svg}} SPDC (1995–2000)

| opponents = {{flagicon image|Flag of Myanmar (1974-2010).svg}} SPDC (until 1995)

| battles = Internal conflict in Myanmar

| website =

}}

The Mongko Region Defence Army ({{langx|my|မုန်းကိုး ကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်}}; abbreviated MRDA) was an insurgent group based in Mongko, Shan State, Myanmar.{{cite book|last1=Heppner|first1=Kevin|title="My Gun was as Tall as Me": Child Soldiers in Burma|date=2002|publisher=Human Rights Watch|isbn=9781564322791|page=158|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-L6w4UIKge4C|language=en}} The then-ruling military junta in Myanmar, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), allegedly encouraged the MRDA to cooperate with narcos on the China–Myanmar border.{{cite book|last1=South|first1=Mr Ashley|title=Mon Nationalism and Civil War in Burma: The Golden Sheldrake|date=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136129629|page=267|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CL5Hrox1bHkC|language=en}}

History

In August 1995, Mong Hsala announced his split with Yang Maoliang and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and renamed a brigade under his command to the Mongko Region Defence Army (MRDA).{{cite book|last1=Oo|first1=Zaw|last2=Min|first2=Win|title=Assessing Burma's Ceasefire Accords|date=2007|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies|isbn=9789812304957|page=45|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_zGWBgAAQBAJ|language=en}} Immediately afterwards, the group signed a ceasefire with the government of Myanmar.{{cite book|last1=Steinberg|first1=David I.|title=Burma: The State of Myanmar|date=2001|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=1589012852|page=[https://archive.org/details/burmastateofmyan0000stei/page/195 195]|url=https://archive.org/details/burmastateofmyan0000stei|url-access=registration|accessdate=10 March 2018|language=en}}{{cite book|last1=Colletta|first1=Nat J.|last2=Lim|first2=Teck Ghee|last3=Kelles-Viitanen|first3=Anita|title=Social Cohesion and Conflict Prevention in Asia: Managing Diversity Through Development|date=2001|publisher=World Bank Publications|isbn=9780821348741|page=310|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=64Fvi7j42wMC|language=en}}

In September 2000, deputy commander Li Nimen mutinied and ousted Mong Hsala from the group, with support from Kokang leader Peng Jiasheng, who had ousted Yang Maoliang from the MNDAA several years prior. On November 24, the Tatmadaw had covertly placed shooters in advance at the peace negotiation site at Hay Moe Lone village and shot and killed Li Nimen and his men when they arrived. The remaining members of the MRDA were forcibly disbanded.

References

Category:Ethnic armed organisations in Myanmar