The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the largest ethnic Kachin ceasefire group in Burma's northern Kachin State yesterday concluded its public meeting in Laiza headquarters on the Sino-Burma border to garner opinion on the Burmese junta’s directives to transform its armed wing to a border security force, said sources.

Earlier, the meeting was scheduled to conclude today morning but it was wrapped up yesterday evening at 5 p.m. Burma Standard Time in an unhappy atmosphere among participants over the burning issue of transforming the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), said participants.

According to KIO leaders, the KIA is being pressurized to change its thousands of troops into a battalion of a border security force under the direct control of the Ministry of Defence under a new pro-junta government which will be formed after the countrywide general elections next year.

The junta-proposed border security force for the KIA will be formed by a  total of 326 soldiers--- of them, 30 will be Burman soldiers and only about 296 soldiers will be KIA of the ages ranging between 18 and 50, said KIO leaders.

In the junta's proposal, the battalion commander will be appointed from the KIA and the second battalion commander will be appointed from the Burmese Army. However all support will come from the Burmese military, added KIO leaders.

During yesterday’s meeting between KIO leaders and the invited civilian representatives in Laiza headquarters between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., the participants were told by the KIO leader how the KIA has been pressurized by the junta, said participants.

During the meeting, the KIO did not allow any discussion by the participants but they asked for suggestions with letters regarding changing KIA to a border security battalion from every Kachin in Burma and around the world, added participants.

According to KIA officials in Laiza, it is a ridiculous suggestion by the Burmese junta to change the KIA to a border security force with over 250 troops because it has thousands of troops in Kachin State and Northeast Shan State. It rules the controlled areas with multi-administrative departments.

Presently, the KIA has five Army Brigades with over 22 battalions in Kachin Sate and Northeast Shan State and five Army Divisions with over 20,000 men and women in KIO and KIA services, said local KIO/A sources.

The KIO leaders will take the results of both the Central Committee on May 11 and 12 and the public meeting on May 15 held in Laiza to the second meeting to be held between it and the junta's Northern Command commander Brig-Gen Soe Win in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State on May 20, said KIO leaders.