Burmese battalions gather on NMSP territory border before April 22nd deadline

IMNA

April 21, 2010

Two Burmese battalions have moved to set up bases in Tenasserim Division, in close proximity to the border of the New Mon State Party’s territory in (NMSP) Tavoy District.

This section of Tavoy District makes up the southernmost region of the territory accorded to the NMSP in its 1995 ceasefire agreement with the currently Burmese military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

Sources in the area identified the 2 battalions as Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 282 and other battalion. The groups moved into the region on Saturday and Monday, respectively, and have set up their artillery forces near the Tavoy District village of Snee Dein.

A witness explained, “at least 25 soldiers arrived at Snee Dein village on Saturday, and on Monday more arrived.”

This witness also reported that villagers from Snee Dein and the surrounding area in Tavoy District, have begun packing up their belongings. Threats of a potential end to 1995 ceasefire treaty, following the release of the NMSP’s final decision regarding its acceptance or refusal of the SPDC’s Border Guard Force (BGF) or people’s militia offer, has many preparing to flee the region.

On April 19th, IMNA published news of an April 7th meeting between NMSP leaders and Southeast Command Lieutenant General Ye Myint, where the latter reportedly threatened that a refusal of the SPDC’s people’s militia or BGF offer would result in the return of a “pre-ceasefire” relationship between the two groups. The General reportedly gave the party a deadline of April 22nd to make its decision.

In an interview with IMNA published yesterday, NMSP spokesman Nai Chay Mon explained that party members are waiting for direction from their leaders, who are currently holding an emergency meeting in southern Mon State to discuss their response to Gen. Ye Myint’s ultimatum.

LIB No 282 is based in Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division under the management of the Coastal Regional Command, in Tennasserim Division. LIB 675 is, according to the Human Right’s Foundation of Monland (HURFOM), has been documented as a “baseless” battalion.