Tension between DKBA faction and regime troops remain high

By SAW YAN NAING Sunday, November 07, 2010

Tension between a faction of DKBA that siege some key positions and deployed its troops in major areas around Myawaddy Town border with Mae Sot remained high, said DKBA sources.

Col Saw Lah Pwe better known as Na Kham Mwe told The Irrawaddy that some Burmese authorities including a commander will come and meet his group in Myawaddy tomorrow to solve the tension between the DKBA and regime troops.

“They [Burmese regime] told us that they will give us everything we want,” said Na Kham Mwe.

He said that if the regime troops open fire against his troops, his troop is ready to reacts the same.

“We will respond them that we want democracy, our Karen land and we will maintain four principles of our Karen hero, Saw Ba U Gyi [late father of the Karen resistance movement],” he added.


Na Kham Mwe, is the commander of DKBA Brigade 5, the only DKBA faction that rejected the junta’s border guard force. Tension between Na Kham Mwe faction and the regime troops have been rising since then.

Today, his troops in Myawaddy said siege several key positions including the police station. His troops led by his colleague, Lt-Col Saw Kyaw Thet, head of DKBA Battalion 902 under Brigade 5 is now on high alert and the tension will remain through night, said Karen sources in the border.

A commander of the Karen National Union in Mae Sot said, “They [DKBA and regime troops] are just waiting who will open fire first. If one side open fire, the war will break out for sure.”
Observers on the border also said that Burmese government has reinforced its troops around Myawaddy, but the sign of fighting is very low as the Burmese authorities likely prefer to negotiate with the DKBA troops. The DKBA troops reportedly to withdraw his troops tonight, said some sources in Mae Sot.

Na Kham Mwe said he will not withdraw his troops unless he gains what he want from the regime. He said that the regime earlier told him to provide him with some 500 cars and other business opportunities if he and his troops become the border guard force.

Sources on the border also said that KNU is also ready to help the DKBA faction if needed. Troops of the KNU on the border are also on high alert. Some residents also raised fear over the tension between the DKBA and the regime troops.

Due to the pressure of the Burmese regime, the Influential Karen Buddhist monk U Thuzana also visited Na Kham Mwe in October and asked him to accept the border guard force, said Karen sources. He, however, didn’t accept it.