Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – As fighting between government troops and the Kacin Independence Army has slackened for now, the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) is trying to reorganize its forces in Kachin State.
The new ABSDF troop alignment will be comprised mainly of former ABSDF members living near the Sino-Burmese border, according to a source close to ABSDF.
“To carry out attacks, we are organizing the former members into a group. We are trying to reach an agreement to form the troops now,” the source told Mizzima.
Earlier, there were four ABSDF battalions under the central committee of the Northern ABSDF in the area controlled by the KIO. It is not known how many troops will make up the new configuration.
There are eight ABSDF battalions. Six are in the area controlled by the Karen National Union; one in the area controlled by the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP); and one (along with the Chin National Front) in Arakan State.
After the 1988 pro-democracy uprising was suppressed, the ABSDF Northern Command was formed in the area controlled by KIO. In 1994, the KIO signed a cease-fire agreement with the former junta, and the ABSDF left the area in 1995.
KIO central committee members attended Aung San Suu Kyi’s 66th birthday ceremony held by former ABSDF members and the KIO’s Women Affairs Group at KIO headquarters in Laiza on June 19.
KIO leaders could not confirm that the ABSDF Northern Command was being reorganized. But they said that if the new troops of the ABSDF attacked government troops, they would not oppose the ABSDF.
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“They are our allies. In the past, the ABSDF (Northern) was formed here,” said La Nang, the KIO joint general-secretary.
Observers noted that other armed groups also operate in Kachin State.
Arakan Liberation Party joint General-Secretary Khine Thukha said, “It’s true that there are Arakanese troops. But the number of soldiers is less than one hundred. The KIA has deployed them in some places. The KIA provided them with military training and armed them with weapons. But they are not special Arakanese troops.
Before the KIO signed a cease-fire agreement with the former junta, the ALP opened a liaison office in the KIO area.
Meanwhile, KIO and government troops have made no progress to complete a cease-fire agreement.
Starting on Sunday, Burmese government troops deployed as security for the Taping hydropower project have sporadically fired heavy weapons into KIO bases, according to La Nang.
The KIO is negotiating a cease-fire with a “Peace Making and Negotiation Group” organized by Kachin State Chief Minister Lajun Ngum Sai.
