Introduction
Myawaddy conundrum has arisen after some junta soldiers re-hoisted the Myanmar national flag in the junta’s Infantry Battalion-275 or garrison in downtown Myawaddy, which was occupied by the Karen National Union/ Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) and allied forces.
Some blame revolutionary forces, including the KNU/KNLA, for the flag-raising incident. Some believe it is just a part of the junta’s propaganda. Some see it as a trick or a game played by Colonel Saw Chit Thu, leader of the Border Guard Force (BGF) under the military council.
This week, Burma News International (BNI)-Myanmar Peace Monitor’s bi-weekly news review approaches the “Myawaddy conundrum”, which is of great political, military and economic importance, based on all available information, events and findings.
Flag-hosting incident in IB-275
Led by the KNU/KNLA, the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) and allied revolutionary force seized complete control of the Myawaddy Garrison or IB-275. The combined forces launched an offensive against IB-275 on 8 April 2024 and took complete control of it at 4:20 am on 11 April.
However, more than 200 junta soldiers from IB-275, who had fled the camp, took shelter at the Friendship Bridge No. 2 on the Thai-Myanmar border. The KNU announced on 12 April that Myawaddy was not yet in a secure position as the columns of the junta were advancing en masse.
In an attempt to capture Myawaddy which is crucial for trade on the Thai-Myanmar border, the joint revolutionary forces led by the KNLA attacked and captured the junta’s three key military bases—LIB-355/356, LIB-357 on Thingan Nyi Naung tactical camp and the IB-275 Garrison, in March 2024.
The KNU said Myawaddy is still not under full control, but once it reaches a safe and secure state, the KNU will deal with human trafficking, illegal businesses, contraband trades, stability, rule of law, public services and commodity flows, with the participation of local residents, by establishing the town administration. 1
On 21 April 2024, the KNU/KNLA and joint revolutionary forces retreated from the Friendship Bridge in Myawaddy. After that, the military council troops stationed at the bridge, re-entered LIB-275 and hoisted the Myanmar flag and re-positioned themselves there, with the help of the Border Guard Force (BGF)-turned-Karen National Army (KNA) led by Colonel Saw Chit Thu.
Padoh Saw Taw Nee, Spokesperson of the KNU said: “The main point is that we have to avoid falling into the trap set by the military council. The second point is that we must fight to put an end to the military dictatorship and any forms of dictatorship. However, we have nothing to say about collaboration with the military dictator, which is clearly visible at this time.” 2
Did Col. Saw Chit Thu play a trick?
On 23 January 2024, Colonel Saw Chit Thu, who had been the leader of pro-military Border Guard Force (BGF) since 2010, reported to Vice Senior General Soe Win, the junta’s second-in-command, that the BGF would no longer receive salaries and rations from the military and that the BGF no longer wanted to fight against their own people. 3
In a meeting attended by all commanders from four BGF cantons in the last week of February 2024, a decision was made to change the name of the Border Guard Force (BGF) led by Colonel Saw Chit Thu who served as General Secretary, to the Karen National Army (KNA). The BGF in Karen State is composed of four cantons and 13 battalions. Battalion-1011, 1012, 1015 and 1016 are based and active in Hlaingbwe Township, Battalion-1013 and 1014 in Hpapun Township, Battalion-1017, 1018, 1019, 1020 and 1022 in Myawaddy Township and Battalion-1021 and 1023 in Kyainseikgyi Township. 4
In an article of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) dated 22 April 2024, the BGF leaders Colonel Saw Chit Thu, Lt. Colonel Saw Mokethon and Major Tin Win, are linked to Chinese online scam gangs in Karen State on the Thai-Myanmar border.
Colonel Saw Chit Thu and Major Tin Win host, support and profit from scam compounds near Myawaddy, including Shwekokko, Jinxin, Hengsheng and Dongfanghui, which is operated by the Kokang BGF Fully Light Group raided by China. 5
After the KNU/KNLA and allied forces attacked and captured the military council’s Myawaddy Grisson (IB-275) on 11 April 2024, the BGF-turned-KNA troops of Colonel Saw Chit Thu patrolled and took position in Myawaddy town. On 23 April, the KNA troops helped the military council soldiers to be re-stationed in IB-275. The KNU/KNLA and allied forces have still controlled the military council’s Battalion-355, 356 and 357 and Thingan Nyi Naung strategic hill, said Padoh Saw Taw Nee.
It can be concluded that the plans and actions of Colonel Saw Chit Thu still call for the junta’s decision although he has transformed from the military-backed BGF to the KNA. At the same time, coordination with the revolutionary forces in the Karen region, including the KNU/KNLA, which have been waging a defensive war against the junta, are not yet seen in Colonel Saw Chit Thu’s plans.
Myawaddy conundrum
Myawaddy town on the Thai-Myanmar border, a trade hub with nearly one billion US dollars in trade passing through every year every year, is a crucial town for the junta. Losing Myawaddy is the losses of military, politics and economy. It may also reduce the recognition of neighboring Thailand’s government. Therefore, it is considered that the military group can use everything to regain full control of Myawaddy.
In order to regain control of Myawaddy, the military council has reinforced its troops with a column named “Aung Zeya” through Kawkareik-Asia road, Lower Bo Te (old road) and Hto Kaw Koe Road.
“We will be fiercely defending it in order that the junta can’t regain control of Myawaddy and the Asian Highway,” said Lieutenant Kyaw Hein, the deputy commander of the White Tiger Column. 6
On 5 April, 67 military officers, 410 other ranks and 140 family members from Thingan Nyi Naung tactical camp under the Eastern Command located about nine miles from Myawaddy, surrendered to the KNU/KNLA joint forces. On 7 April, a plane sent by the military council landed at the international airport in Mae Sot, Thailand, and evacuated 10 people, including the governor of Myawaddy Township. Since 9 April, all the offices of the military council, including Myoma police station in downtown Myawaddy, have been closed, and the administrative machinery has stopped. 7
It is true that the KNU/KNLA and joint forces occupied and controlled Myawaddy. But other Karen armed organizations, such as the BGF-turned-KNA, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the KNU/KNLA-Peace Council are also active in and around the Myawaddy.
On 21 April, the KNU/KNLA and joint forces intercepted the junta’s reinforcement military column advancing on Myawaddy near the Tawnaw waterfall on Asian Highway, destroying the junta’s armored vehicle and two tanks. It was reported that the junta’s column was led by the Bo Bee-led troops from the DKBA. 8
On 23 April, the Commander of the Division-44 himself was stationed in Myawaddy garrison (IB-275) and carrying our area clearance operations to the bridge near Thingan Nyi Naung tactical base in order to regain territorial control, with the help of the BGF-turned-KNA. The BGF-turned-KNA led by Colonel Saw Chit Thu is providing security to the junta troops. 9
On the other hand, the KNU’s leadership was questioned by the easy surrender of the garrison (IB-275) captured by the joint forces led by the KNU/KNLA to the military council.
Review
Myawaddy is a border trade town which is adjacent to Thailand and has a long land border. It is an economically important town in Karen State, home to many pro-junta and anti-junta armed groups. The town sits on the Asian Highway and is important for trade economy.
Shwe Kokko Myothit, notorious as casino and gambling hub, is located in Myawaddy Township. According to the USIP’s report, Shwe Kokko becomes a migration area for online fraud gangs (Kyar Phyant) from northern Shan State on the Myanmar-China border. Therefore, it must be said that the “Myawaddy conundrum” is very complicated.
Certainly, the KNU/KNLA and joint forces’ offensives against the military council since the end of March 2023 were successful. The failure of the junta was witnessed in Myawaddy. Until today, the military council is still stepping up ground offensives as well as air offensives in order to regain control of Myawaddy. At the same time, there are the spreads of propaganda that the junta and leaders of KNU/KNLA have reached mutual understanding and agreement.
All need to be the fact whether snitching on and blaming among revolutionary forces which are marching towards eradicating all forms of dictatorship including the military dictatorship due to the surrender of IB-275 in Myawaddy, can lead to a better move. The Thai government is interestingly watching Myawady’s moves and shifts.
Finding a solution to the Myawaddy conundrum is required to closely study all factors such as the junta’s movements, the transformative existence of subordinate BGF, integrity and determination of revolutionary forces, including the KNU/KNLA and the situation of the neutral armed forces.
1 KNU announces it is working to reach a safe state in Myawaddy.
2 The KNU says that it withdraws from Myawaddy to avoid falling into the trap of the military council.
3 Karen BGF discusses that they don’t want to fight each other and don’t want to get support from the junta.
4 All BGF cantonments will be transformed into KNA.
5 China Forces Myanmar Scam Syndicates to Move to Thai Border
6 The military council is attacking from 3 directions to regain control of Myawaddy.
7 Military council’s administration stops in Myawaddy.
8 The military council’s convoy was attacked at the foot of Dawna Mountain, damaging an armoured vehicle and 2 machine gun trucks and forcing junta troops to retreat.
9 The army regains control of the area up to ssIB-275 and Thingan Nyi Naung in Myawaddy, with the help of BGF.