Three Pagodas Pass -- Buddhist monks and local village headmen met recently in Kya-In Seik-Kyi Township and arrived at a consensus regarding their opposition to the recruitment activities being carried out by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).
An official of the Karen National Union (KNU) said, “The village headmen and senior monks held a meeting in Kya-In Seik-Kyi Township, where a decision to oppose the DKBA’s recruitment drive was taken. They are not against the recruitment of KNU soldiers, because the KNU’s aim is to fight the Burmese Army. But, the aim of the DKBA’s recruitment drive is to fight against each other. Therefore they will oppose this action.”
According to the source, the Abbot of Pa-Pya Village, the Reverend Pinnya-Sara and the Abbot of Khalai Takhon Taing, the Reverend Thuzarta will convey their decision to the senior monk of the DKBA, Reverend Thuzana. In the past, the two abbots, Reverend Thuzarta and Reverend Thuzana had studied together at Jone-Jone Ja Temple in Mudon, Mon State.
The DKBA has ordered local village headmen to send between 10 to 30 new recruits from their villages in Anan Kwin, Kya-In Seik-Kyi and Three Pagodas Pass. Local youth from Kawkareik and Pa-an Townships have been forced to join the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. These young men are being sent to the front lines to fight the KNU.
On August 1, about 500 individuals from Taundee village gathered at the office of DKBA Battalion No. 906, where they met Lt. Col. Mahn Nyan Min. On a request by the DKBA, they gave 75 sacks of rice and Kyat 1.5 million, instead of providing 25 new soldiers for the recruitment drive.
The Burmese junta has told the Karen Peace Force (KPF) and the DKBA leaders to transform their armies into a Border Guard Force. DKBA leaders are aggressively recruiting local people in response. Since many Karen are reluctant, they have deserted the DKBA and surrendered to the KNU. A KNU source reported that 76 soldiers from the DKBA and KPF surrendered to the KNU Brigade No. 6 in July and August.
