Local members of the Burmese military junta backed Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) do not favour the idea of transforming the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) into a battalion of the "Border Security Force" of the regime, said local sources.
While local Kachin people, who are members of USDA and the junta's administrators of quarters and villages in Myitkyina Township did not publicly release any statement or made an announcement but the fact is that they abhor the idea of transforming the KIA, the biggest Kachin ceasefire group in the country, said local USDA sources.
The first reason is that the junta and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the KIA did not have any political dialogue since the KIO/A signed a ceasefire agreement with the regime on February 24, 1994.
The second reason being that they want rulers of Kachin State to be Kachins and the state should be self-determined which is impossible with the junta-centric country's new constitution.
On the other hand, Kachin church leaders have also rejected the regime's proposal to change KIA to a Border Security Force battalion before the political problems are resolved, according to local church sources in Myitkyina.
Meanwhile, the KIO’s central committee is receiving more and more letters from the Kachin people in the country and abroad suggesting that it reject the junta’s proposal, said KIO central committee's sources.
On the issue of KIA’s transformation, leaders of the KIO and the regime met twice at the regime's Northern Command HQ based in Myitkyina on April 28 and May 21. However the KIO leaders did not give a clear answer in black or white to the junta on the proposal. They want a negotiation on it, said KIO leaders.
Meanwhile, the regime withdrew the house arrest of Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on May 26 but continues to detain her in Insein Prison in Rangoon. She has been charged in connection with an American John William Yettaw’s arrest two weeks ago for allegedly swimming across Innya Lake and entering Suu Kyi's home and staying there for two days.
According to KIO leaders, the regime will reject any outside pressure on it regarding the current arrest and trial of Suu Kyi before they conclude the 2010 election in the country. This is a strong commitment of the regime.
