The Myanmar military has urged the members of Kayin State Border Guard Force (BGF) who put up their resignations to take about two months to reconsider but two top leaders of the BGF are still facing pressure.
After the 13 battalion commanders and 77 officers and other ranks from the Kayin State BGF submitted their resignation letters to South East Command on January 14, officials from the military held a meeting with them at the meeting hall of Battalion No.1011 of BGF Station (1) in Myainggyingu Special Region in Kayin State on January 15.
Those who attended the meeting from the military side were Chief of Bureau of Special Operations No.4 Lieutenant General Aung Soe, Director General of People’s Militia and Frontier Forces Major General Aung Paing Oo, South East Command Commander Brigadier General Ko Ko Maung and the commander of Division-22. The meeting lasted about three hours.
“Both sides agreed that the resignations should be suspended until next two months after consideration. But two commanders including BGF General Secretary Colonel Saw Chit Thu are still under pressure and being pushed for resignations. The final resolution has yet to come. We didn’t get the result as we had expected,” said Major Maung Zaw from the Kayin State BGF’s central control and disciplinary committee, who attended the meeting.
A BGF commander quoted a senior military officer who attended the meeting as saying he was sorry and a bit angry to see the BGF members wearing civilian clothes when they came to the meeting.
Another one who is facing pressure from the military to resign is Major Saw Tin Win.
The above two commanding officers as well as Commanding Officer Major Saw Mot Thon from Station 4 and Battalion 1022 were reportedly forced to resign. Major Saw Mot Thon put up his resignation on January 8 and other commanding officers including Colonel Saw Chit Thu submitted their resignations on January 14.
The Kayin State BGF was formed in August 2010 with 13 battalions—12 from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and one from the Karen Peace Front (KPF).
There have been reports that the Shwe Kotko new town project being co-implemented by the BGF-owned company and a foreign company is the reason behind their resignations.
During a press conference held at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw on January 8, President Office spokesperson Zaw Htay said order had been issued to take actions against the project in line with the military rules and disciplines. The military has been instructed to do so as the BGF is under its control.
Moreover, 2,714 Chinese and 71 other foreigners working on the project have been ordered to return home. Till January 6, 888 Chinese and two other foreigners were sent back to their countries, Zaw Htay said.
