Tension mounts after three killed in Mon clash

Kaowao

Ye -- Civilians worry that they will have to pay a huge price as splinter groups become more active in remote areas. Since the SPDC has demanded that the cease-fire NMSP to become Border Guard Force, some retired soldiers have formed armed groups.

A recent fight between a splinter group and the New Mon State Party led to the deaths of three men on June 29, 2009, and has increased tension among the Mon armed groups. “We are worried because the village headmen were kidnapped by Rehmonya Army and again there is fighting,” said Nai Peel, from Ye of southern Mon State.

According to a wireless message from the New Mon State Party, they had an encounter with about 15 soldiers of the Chan Dein group led by Ablai when they entered the old Kwan Paing village, Tavoy District. The skirmish started at 1:33 pm local time and lasted for 20 minutes. As a result, three men from the splinter group; Mehm Zaw Zaw (27 years), Mehm Theik Lwin (26 years), and Kun Ha-dei (24 years), were killed and one more was injured. 1 M-79, 1 Carbine and 1 AK-47 from the group were seized by the NMSP soldiers. “If they did not intrude our controlled area, I am sure it would not have happened,” said the NMSP officer.

At the beginning of June, two village headmen, Nai Shwe Thaung and Nai San Htein, were taken by the Rehmonya Army near the base of the New Mon State Party. The group is led by Nai Khin Maung and they intruded into the Battalion No. 3 village. This Mon village is built on the old site of Battalion 3, located near the Three Pagodas Pass border.

A source from the Thai-Burma border reported that the Rehmonya Army is led by a retired Colonel of NMSP, Nai Shaung. The group has also distributed letters at Mon villages near the Three Pagodas Pass and has collected some money form villagers.

At a bull fight gambling session during the Songkrant New Year festival in April, a clash between the NMSP soldiers and Mon Peace and Defence Force (MPDF) occurred in Dhamasa Village, Kyaikmayaw Township. Another clash occurred on April 18, 2009 when a NMSP member Dr. Minn Naung was killed by a gunshot wound to his back close to SPDC’s Southeast Command.