Karen army group retreats before advance of Karen splinter group, to avoid Karen bloodshed

IMNA
Forces from a Karen splinter group are advancing into the territory controlled by the largest Karen political party. However the fear of killing members of the same Karen nationality precluded any violent action.

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) Battalion No. 907, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Saw Naw Ta Yar, advanced into the Karen National Union (KNU) control Maketa area on August 30th, at about 10 pm, said sources close to KNU officers. Battalion No. 907 is now basing itself at the monastery in old Maketa village.

Long controlled by the KNU Brigade No. 6, Maketa village is located in Maketa forest, and is divided into two regions. New Maketa village contains about 40 households, and old Maketa village is home to over 60 households. The close proximity of Battalion No. 907’s base would all but guarantee damage being done to the populated portions of Maketa if fighting had occurred.

Battalion No. 907 left last month, marching from Maywadi to take up positions in preparation for an anticipated assault on KNU brigade No.6. Last month the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) released a report detailing the potential threat to the civilian population of a DKBA and Burmese Army combined assault on the KNU Brigade No.6 territory.

“We knew that the DKBA had come to take our area. That’s why we already moved from the area –we don’t want to fight with them, we are the same nationality,” a source close to KNU officers said. “If we hadn’t have moved from there, we probably would have started fighting each other.”

“After the DKBA entered the KNU area most of the villagers were afraid that they would fight again,” said a Three Pagoda Pass resident. “But news came from the KNU group saying they don’t want to fight with the DKBA.”

The DKBA broke away from the KNU in 1994 after religious tension split some Buddhist members of the KNU’s armed wing, from the primarily Christian KNU senior officers. On April 13th the DKBA agreed to reform as a Burmese army administrated border guard force.

Fighting between the two Karen groups has occurred in the area intermittently through out the past few months. A combined force of DKBA and Burmese Army solders struck a major blow to the KNU in on June 21st overrunning KNU positions at Brigade No. 7.

On July 8th, the DKBA fought against troops from KNLA Bridge No.6 in Maketa from which the DKBA suffered 2 casualties. After the clash, a rumor spread that the Burmese army and the DKBA combine force would continue to fight against KNU Bridge No.6.

Exploring the potential human rights impact of such an assault, the HURFOM monthly report published in July, concluded, “Whatever the outcome of the assault on Brigade No. 6, the biggest loss will be a civilian one.”