"From Poet to Rebel: Myanmar Leader's Quest for Territory Amid Concerns of Fickle Revolutionaries"

Poet turned militia leader Maung Saungkha, leader of the Bamar People's Liberation Army (BPLA), plans to establish territory in central Myanmar to directly confront the junta. The BPLA, composed mostly of Buddhist Bamars, aims to work with the People's Defense Forces (PDF) to supplant the junta. The BPLA's growth is attributed to Maung Saungkha's ability to build alliances with other armed groups. However, the BPLA faces challenges such as funding and waning motivation among recruits. The BPLA has received training and support from ethnic armed organizations and currently operates alongside the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Arakan Army (AA). The resistance forces in Myanmar need to move beyond creating disorder in urban areas and work together to seize strategic sites. Funding for the BPLA comes from donations, merchandise sales, and poetry books, while the junta receives support from China and Russia.