The Burmese military junta has threatened the Karen Peace Council (KPC) that if it does not transform to the Border Guard Force (BGF) within a week, it will declare the outfit illegal.

The KPC is located in Hto Kawkoo village in Kawkareik Township, Karen state. It is led by Gen. Htin Maung.

Lt. Gen. Ye Myint, chief of Military Affairs Security (MAS) and Brigadier Gen. Thet Naing Win, commander of southeastern military command met KPC delegates at the southeastern military command headquarter in Mawlamying in Mon State on 24 August, Brig. Gen. Dr. Saw Ti Mathay, in-charge of KPC’s foreign affairs, said.

"On 24 August, the junta summoned Gen. Htin Maung for a meeting but he didn't go. His deputies went to attend the meeting. At the meeting Ye Myint and Thet Naing Win threatened them that if they did not transform to the BGF within a week or 10 days, the organization would be termed illegal and the Burmese Army will be deployed around its area," he added.

Gen Htin Maung has rejected the BGF proposal and if the regime goes for a military offensive against the KPC, it is ready to respond by military means, Gen Dr. Saw Ti Mathay said.

The KPC led by Gen. Htin Maung rejected transforming into BGF as of 20 October last year. Again, he also rejected transformation to a people's militia group on 7 April this year at a meeting in southeastern military headquarter in Mawlamyaing city.

The KPC sent a letter to Lt. Gen. Ye Myint, chief of MAS, where it mentioned that the Karen Peace Council wants peace and development and not armed hostility.

"The junta ordered them to surrender to the Burmese Army. Transforming to BGF means that they will have to fight other ethnic armed revolutionary groups. People want genuine peace but the military regime will never solve problems in a peaceful manner," Pha Doh Saw David Thakapaul, vice-president of KNU, said.

Similarly, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) delegates met Gen. Thet Naing Win at the southeastern military command office in Mawlamyaing city on August 23. Gen Thet Naing Win threatened NMSP that if it failed to give a clear answer on transforming to BGF, it will face hostilities like before 1995, Nai Chay Mon, a spokesperson of NMSP told KIC.

There are 17 armed ethnic groups, which signed ceasefire agreements since 1989. The military regime started applying pressures on ceasefire groups for transforming to BGF since April 2009.

The New Democracy Army – Kachin (NDA-K), Karenni Nationalities People's Liberation Front (KNPLF) in Kayah state special region 2, Ko Kant special region 1, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), Hong Tharaw special region, and Karen Peace Force (KPF) have already transformed into BGF but the other armed groups are still rejecting changing to BGF.

The KPC split from KNU on 11 February 2007. After that, KPC used the nomenclature KNU-KNLA when it signed a ceasefire agreement with the junta.