Sankhalaburi - Mon youths made to accept membership by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army from Mon villages in Kawkareik and Pa-an township in Karen State, are being sent to the frontline to fight the KNU, said a Mon youth from Kawt Mate village.
 
Family members of youth, who have gone into hiding, are being threatened to bring them back. At the meeting point in Myawaddy, a person who can bribe 30,000-50,000 baht does not have to go to the frontline. Such a person can leave for other places. Most of them are heading for Thailand.
 
Mon youths have got DKBA membership cards after paying 20,000 Kyat,  from the Karen Language and Literature Association based in Pa-an. The membership cards help to avoid disturbance from the authorities. Mon businessmen, who are into human trafficking, motorcycle trafficking and other business ventures become DKBA members. While they take the name of the DKBA they are not soldiers.
 
According to news agencies, over 100 DKBA soldiers were killed in the joint offensive of the DKBA and the Burmese Army against the KNU brigade 7 in early June.
 
Injured DKBA soldiers are being treated in Maesot, Myawaddy, Shwe Koukko and Pa-an hospitals.
 
"A Kawt Me villager and another from Minn Village have been injured. Many people, who are not soldiers, were injured in the battle," said a relative of an injured DKBA Mon soldier.
 
According to Myawaddy locals, people who are being made to take DKBA membership are suffering from depression because they have to go to the frontline.