A second Buddhist pagoda is being built in Pangwah, the headquarters of the former ethnic Kachin rebel group the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) in Burma’s Kachin State on the initiative of the Burmese junta’s Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein, said Pangwah sources.
NDA-K is the second largest Kachin armed group, which has been officially transformed to three battalions of the Border Guard Force of the Directorate of People’s Militia and Border Troops under the ruling junta’s Ministry of Defense on November 8.
102809-ndak-pangwahEyewitnesses told KNG, preparations for the construction of a second Buddhist pagoda have begun. Road construction and clearing the site with digging machines has started near the first one in Pangwah in early October, before the NDA-K officially changed to BGF.
The first Buddhist temple and pagoda was built in Pangwah in 1999 on the orders of former junta’s Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt, who was purged in October, 2004.
On the instructions of the Burmese Prime Minister, former NDA-K supreme leader Zahkung Ting Ying had to authorize the Buddhist pagoda’s construction in territory controlled by him, said Pangwah residents.
Pangwah sources said, a Roman Catholic follower Ting Ying is pro-junta- and he authorized construction of Buddhist pagodas and temples in Pangwah to build a rapport with the regime.
A majority Kachins in Burma is Christians and Kachin church leaders feel that Ting Ying committed a sin by building Buddhist pagodas in Pangwah, local Kachin church leaders said.
On November 14, the newly formed BGF was welcomed at a special ceremony at the Town Hall (Myo-daw-khan-ma) in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State. Welcome speeches were delivered by Maj-Gen Ohn Myint, former commander of Kachin State or Northern Command and the current commander Maj-Gen Soe Win, said participants.
At the ceremony, the NDA-K publicly surrendered some weapons to the ruling junta, said participants.
According to sources in the new Kachin BGF, all military personnel in the new Kachin BGF--- No. 1001, 1002 and 1003 will get a monthly salary ranging from 40,000 Kyat (US$38) and 120,000 Kyat (US$134) from the junta.
Local sources close to former NDA-K officers said, about 300 military personnel including young and many over 50 years old deserted the NDA-K before it officially transformed to BGF.
Kachin Christians feel the ruling junta is imposing Buddhism and Burmanization by its military power.
