Cox’s Bazaar: Two defectors from the Burmese Army arrived on the Bangladesh- Burma border on 12 November after being in hiding for a few months inside Burma for fear of arrest by army authorities.

The two defectors were identified as Corporal Kyaw Soe Lin, Private No. 346789, and Khin Maung Tun, Private No. 495647, from Artillery Battalion 270 based in Kyunt Thaya Village in Mray Bon Township.

Corporal Kyaw Soe Lin, son of U Tun Tha Maung, is from Kyunt Gri Village in Rathidaung Township, while Khin Maung Tun, son of U Aung Hla, is from Pyin Chay Village in Buthidaung. Both are Arakanese.

According to a source, the men deserted from their battalion on 5 June, 2010, along with another soldier following harassment by army officials.

After their desertion, the third man, Maung Tin Tun, Private No. 383256, son of U Tin Pe from Kha Mon Don Village in Thandwe Township, was arrested by the special police in Thandwe, a southern district town in Arakan.

One defector said that army officials from Battalion No. 270 have forced soldiers to collect illegal toll from Arakanese fisherman so the officials can send the money back to their families. Many private soldiers are dissatisfied with this illegal behaviour by army officials.

The two defectors are expected to join with the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) because they reportedly left the border area for the tri-border area of India, Bangladesh, and Burma where ALP headquarters is located.