Interview with No. (1) Tactical Officer of Karenni Army (K-Army)
15 June 2021
In Karenni State, the fighting between People’s Defense Forces and the brutal military troops has broken out since 21 May and it has caused more than 100,000 persons displaced their places. Regarding the ground situation, we caught up with Colonel Al Mwee No. (1) of Tactical Officer of Karenni Army (K-Army).
MPM : How will you comment upon the battles happening in Demoso township of Karenni State?
AM : The battles have begun in Karenni State since May 20 and are still ongoing until even today. These battles are indeed intense since the confrontation has started in town. Military Council therefore has been using all of its forces to control the town as soon as possible. As a result, the battles today are getting worse rather than in the very first days. Military Council used the military planes and long-range artilleries during battles. They have reinforced a lot and used planes and long-range artilleries in attacking towns and villages.
MPM : How do you think upon the general people and People’s Defense Forces who took up arms to fight against military troops?
AM : In my view, these fighting are the result of coup. It is evident that people are not satisfied with Military Council and its troops. Even the young city-dwellers joined armed revolution to overthrow dictatorship. The fighting reflects public hatred for military dictators. Though the innocent civilians protested and demonstrated in a peaceful way to show their opinion and beliefs in the very first days of coup, they confronted violent crackdown of military troops which used real bullets. Hence, finally, the people and youths were determined to take up arms to fight against military dictator, believing that taking up arms is the last resort. I am really proud of them. I really respect and admire their determination.
MPM : What is your view as a Colonel?
AM : We have to stand for public because the very first goal of Karenni resistance is to regain our own land and our independence. Hence, we need to stand by the people. We have to protect the people.
MPM : Now if you were offered by Military Council to do peace talks, how will you respond as a Colonel?
AM : My personal answer for this question is that we do not need to accept such offer because Military Council is not a legitimate government nor an officially recognized organization. Even if that really happened, we will not accept their offer nor hold talks.
MPM : How do think upon the excessive reinforcement of military troops in Demoso township?
AM : The battles started in town so Military Council had been reinforcing a lot in order to regain control. The main purpose of their reinforcement is to re-control the city therefore they have used a lot of manpower and armed forces including launchers. They have been shooting towns and villages with heavy artilleries with the help of military jets. Their premeditated attack on civilians is not acceptable. They are constantly attacking civilians thus the locals can no longer live in their own places and flee to the forests for their safety.
MPM : It was heard that military troops chased to attack the persons displacing into the forests and deployed in such forests. What do you want to comment?
AM : How evil it is! Their attack should not focus on civilians. They however focused to attack the public and tried to hurt even the displaced persons. It is totally unacceptable. I feel it is so malicious that they are targeting the public.
MPM : What do you want to say upon the use of helicopters in fighting between military troops and People’s Defense Force in one of the battles at Demoso?
AM : They have never been allowed to use long-range artillery and military planes in civil war. However, they wickedly used them to attack the innocent public. They chased to attack even the displaced persons. After reinforcement, Military Council is likely to cleanse the areas. Such cleansing has reached to the places where the displaced people are staying. So, the military troops shot with long-range artilleries to nearby villages during the jungle fighting. They are aiming to drove everyone away from villages and towns.
MPM : Is Karenni Army partaking in the battles of Karenni State?
AM : Rather than saying ‘to cooperate or directly partake in fighting’, we have the responsibility to protect our land. We have to protect our people. It can be said that we are partaking to protect the public since we are fully responsible for their safety. We are just participating as a shield for our town, our village and our people.
MPM : Do you want to get some message to the public who are relying upon the ethnic armed organizations?
AM : Not only the Kareeni State but also the whole country had marched on the streets to protest against military dictatorship. Though they firstly chose the unarmed methods, including protests or demonstrations, they were later shot by the brutal military council. At that time, the ethnic armed groups kept silent and did nothing special. People therefore were dissatisfied with us. Whilst doing anti-dictatorship movement and fighting for the culmination of dictatorship, the civilians are being killed every day with real bullets. What are the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) doing at that time? The public has high hopes for EAOs and EAOs have been requested to help and fight against military troops. Meanwhile, each group had had its own needs and all ethnic armed groups made specific preparations for the serious war. Now the war is starting in Karenni State. We are partaking in this process to defend our towns and wards.
MPM : What do you expect upon the future of Karenni State?
AM : I want it to be peaceful. Karenni State must be peaceful and developed because we have already faced the over-70-year-long war. Solving the political crisis with arms would lead to the prolonging war thus we had hold peace talks and agreed upon the ceasefire agreements in the past. Nonetheless, it did not turn out as expected. The things are going to the negative direction because Military Council is doing offensive operations in the ethnic regions since after the coup. This is not the thing we desired however the situation is inevitable. Thus, we have to defend ourselves. Nonetheless, I want to see Karenni State as a peaceful and developed State in coming future.
Written by
Maw Oo Myar (Kantarrawaddy Times)
