His Excellency
Duwa Lashi La
ဒူဝါလရှီးလ
Duwa Lashi La in 2023
Vice President and Acting President of the National Unity Government of Myanmar
Assumed office
16 April 2021
Prime MinisterMahn Win Khaing Than
Preceded byMahn Win Khaing Than (Acting Cabinet of CRPH)
Personal details
Born (1950-09-09) 9 September 1950 (age 73)
Mung Ji Village, Shan State, British Burma
Alma materUniversity of Yangon
Websitegov.nugmyanmar.org/acting-president-duwa-lashi-la/

Duwa Lashi La (Burmese: ဒူဝါလရှီးလ; pronounced [dùwà làʃì là]; born 9 September 1950) is a Burmese politician and lawyer of Kachin descent and the president of the Kachin National Consultative Council.[1][2][3][4][5]

Duwa Lashi La was named by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, on 16 April 2021, as the vice-president in the National Unity Government of Myanmar, a parallel government to the State Administrative Council formed after the 2021 coup.[6][7][8][9][10]

On 7 September 2021, Duwa Lashi La announced that the defensive war against the military junta had been launched and urged the citizens to revolt against the junta in every corner of the country.[11][12][13][14][15]

Early life and education

Duwa Lashi La was born in the village of Mung Ji in northern Shan State. He graduated from Lashio High School with a B grade and worked as a teacher at his hometown, Mongji School. After working as a teacher, he re-entered the tenth grade at St. Michael's School in Maymyo. In 1970, he studied law at Yangon University.

Duwa Lashi La received his BA in 1974. In 1976, he regained his L.L.B. After graduation, he worked as a prosecutor in Myitkyina and Lashio for two years. He then worked as a law officer for 16 years from 1978 to 1994.[16]

2021 coup and Acting President of the NUG

Duwa Lashi La was appointed vice president and acting president after a meeting between the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) and the Kachin Political Interim Coordination Team (KPICT).[17][18][19] According to the Irrawaddy, during the meeting, Duwa Lashi La argued that the detained vice president Henry Van Thio should be replaced because “We are making the revolution to bring down tyranny and build a new era, it is good not to include people who were involved in the military, and instead better to choose those with a vision of reform towards democracy and federalism.”[20][21][22] The CRPH agreed and asked Duwa Lashi La to take the position, a position that Duwa Lashi La accepted.[23][24][25][26]

References

  1. ^ "Who's Who in Myanmar's National Unity Government". The Irrawaddy. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Parallel Myanmar Government Launched to Challenge Military Junta". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  3. ^ "Only Civilian Govt Can Deliver Stability, Myanmar's NUG Tells China". The Irrawaddy. 2 March 2023.
  4. ^ Khin Maung, Soe (2 November 2022). "Duwa Lashi La – 'They plan to rule with fear, but the people are no longer afraid'". Radio Free Asia.
  5. ^ Sebastian, Strangio (19 July 2022). "Duwa Lashi La on the State of Myanmar's Resistance". The Diplomat.
  6. ^ "Opponents of Myanmar's junta set up national unity government". France 24. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Opponents of Myanmar coup announce unity government". CNA. Archived from the original on 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  8. ^ "Opponents of Myanmar coup announce unity government". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  9. ^ "Opponents of Myanmar's junta set up national unity government". Reuters. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  10. ^ Cyril, PAYEN (5 October 2022). "Myanmar's civilian president claims resistance controls nearly half the country". France 24.
  11. ^ "Myanmar shadow government launches 'people's defensive war'". www.aljazeera.com. 7 September 2021. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  12. ^ "NUG's Lashi La says military leaders 'don't want peace'". Frontier Myanmar. 24 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Myanmar resistance leader claims majority control over territory". The Japan Times. 2 October 2023.
  14. ^ Ingyin, Naing (1 February 2023). "Myanmar's Exiled Opposition Leader Says Military Junta Stalls Progress to Maintain Control". VOA News.
  15. ^ "Duwa Lashi La, acting president of Myanmar's National Unity Government, has declared a "people's defensive war" against the country's military".
  16. ^ "Acting President Duwa Lashi la – National Unity Government". National Unity Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Archived from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  17. ^ Ingyin, Naing (12 December 2023). "Myanmar's Opposition Chief Duwa Lashi La Says Battle Against Junta Has Turned". VOA News.
  18. ^ Toh Han, Shih (1 February 2024). "Rebel leader Duwa Lashi La, confident of winning Myanmar civil war". Asia Sentinel.
  19. ^ David, Pierson (20 September 2021). "'The last battle for Myanmar': Citizens take up arms in bid to topple junta". Los Angeles Times.
  20. ^ "Myanmar NUG Acting President on weakening junta, resistance unity". NHK. 2 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Vice President Duwa Lashi La: First Speech to the people of Myanmar". National Unity Government. 8 May 2021.
  22. ^ Poppy, McPherson (1 December 2022). "Myanmar democracy leader says 2,000 dead fighting junta, urges military aid". Reuters.
  23. ^ Khin Nadi (8 September 2022). "Acting President of Myanmar's Civilian Govt Wins Hearts of the People". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  24. ^ Grant, Peck (7 September 2021). "Myanmar opposition calls for national uprising against army". AP News.
  25. ^ "Three Years Of Myanmar Revolution: Time To Stand On The Right Side Of History". Special Advisory Council For Myanmar. 1 February 2024.
  26. ^ "NUG Urges International Community to Impose Strong Sanctions on the Coup Regime". Burma News International. 22 September 2023.

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