Major-General Htain Maung' armed group, the Karen Peace Council has officially asked the Burmese regime in Karen State to be allowed to set up a gate on the Zemi River among the gates of other ceasefire groups and the Burmese Army.

Maj-Gen Htain Maung (Htay Maung), a brigade No-7 commander of the Karen National Union (KNU) was dismissed from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) under KNU in February 2007 along with 309 members of the KNLA and 11 family members.

According to a source close to a Burmese local officer, two members from Maj-Gen Htain Maung' Peace Council arrived in Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) Town, Karen State two days ago to set up the gate on Zemi River.

The source said that they will report to the Southeast Command based in Moulmein (Mawlamyine) capital of Mon and it would decide on the permission. It will report to Nay Pyi Daw the new capital of Burma.

According to TPP resident, Maj-Gen Htain Maung' group have not set up the gate in TPP area yet.

The Zemi River has about 15 gates including those manned by the KNU, Karen Peace Front (KPF), the New Mon State Party, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), and the Burmese Army who take money from passengers and boat owners.

Nai Doat, a boat owner said "We, owners have to pay at least 5,000 Kyat to each gate even if we are carrying nothing. We have to pay more if we carry passengers and commodities". One passenger has to pay about 500 Kyat at each gate.

But a new DKBA gate took 30,000 Kyat from a passenger boat.

This is the reason why the Burmese authorities do not want to set up the new gate given the number of gates on the river which will only mean more trouble for travelers, the source said.

Maj-Gen Htain Maung' group is based in Htotkawkoe Village in Kawkareik Township Karen State where he made peace with the Burmese government after realizing the endeavours of the government, people and the Tatmadaw for national reconsolidation, peace, wealth and modernization and development of the nation, according to The New Light of Myanmar.