Bo Moustache and followers still reject BGF plan

Thursday, 26 August 2010 16:54 Kyaw Kha

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A renegade faction of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) continues to keep the junta at arm's length, refusing to subscribe to the regime’s Border Guard Force scheme.

dkba-notkhanmwayLed by Bo Moustache, approximately 1,000 DKBA troops remain outside the junta’s designs for the transformation of the Karen splinter army into a Border Guard Force under the junta’s leadership.

The 906th battalion, led by Major Nyan Min, 905th battalion, led by Major Kyaw Kyaw and 904th battalion, led by Major Kyaw Thet, have each rejected the Border Guard Force proposal. Each of the battalions is Kawkareit-based and under the command of Bo Moustache’s brigade. Additionally, strategic commands (1) and (2) led by Major Chinlone are also rejecting Naypyidaw’s overture.

Bo Moustache, aka Saw Lar Bwe, originally had five battalions under his command, but two battalions led by Majors Motethone and Sawblue, comprising a total of 300 troops, transformed themselves into a Border Guard Force on August 21.

“The commanding officers of those battalions have businesses in Hpa-an, Kawkareit and Myawaddy. That’s why they accepted the junta’s plan, for the sake of their businesses. Anyway, the deputy commanding officers did not follow them. They joined us,” Major Chinlone told Mizzima.

Similarly, on August 18, the battalions of DKBA’s chairman Saw Tha Htoo Kyaw, the vice-chairman General Kyaw Than and Colonel Saw Chit Thu were transformed into Border Guard Forces.

“My salary is more than 100,000 kyat (more than US$100). But, I don’t know about my position in the force. We are Karen. Although our organisation is transformed, our hearts remain the same. But, as a Border Guard Force, our actions will be different than before,” Saw Tun Myint, whose battalion was transformed into Border Guard Force, told Mizzima.

Although rumours are circulating that former DKBA officers will contest in the forthcoming election, there remains no confirmation from DKBA leadership.