In a stepped up offensive, the Burmese government has placed under house-arrest Zahkung Ting Ying, the National Parliament’s representative and former leader of the dissolved New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Waw Lau former Military Chief of Staff, in Kachin State capital Myitkyina, since early this week, said sources close to the two former NDA-K leaders.
The NDA-K was transformed to the Burmese Army-controlled Border Guard Force (BGF) in November, 2009.
On the orders of Brig-Gen Zeyar Aung of the Burma Army’s Northern Regional Command, the two former NDA-K leaders have been banned from travelling outside, said relatives.
Though the NDA-K was dissolved, the two leaders still wield considerable influence over the three BGF battalions transformed from the NDA-K, said sources close to them.
The two leaders came to an understanding with the Central Burmese government that the BGF troops will not be deployed for civil war but only to take on foreign enemies. But, now the government has reneged on the deal. It is sending BGF troops to fight the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) at its Laiza headquarters.
