The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) has met with two officials from the Myanmar Peace Center as well as representatives of the Border Guard Force (BGF) in an attempt to resolve differences which last month led to a spate of armed clashes.
According to the DKBA’s Maj. Maung Lay, the groups met on May 11 in Sone Si Myaing Village, in Myawaddy Township, near the Thai-Myanmar border, and discussed the outstanding issues. The BGF was previously a major faction of the DKBA, but which split to join the Myanmar government’s BGF initiative in August 2010.
Maung Lay said that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure that hostilities would not break out again.
“The issues can be solved with dialogue and without the use of arms,” he told Mizzima. “There is nothing we cannot resolve.”
Representing the MPC at the meeting was Aung Naing Oo who later told Mizzima that the conflict was started because of personal grievances.
He said that the peacemaking period is “delicate” and each step must be handled with care.
