CNI Article

3 May 2024

Myawaddy, a small beautiful town, dreamt about the apparent nature of a war although it could not be known whether it was a beautiful dream or a dreadful one. 

In that dream, battles were severely took place between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and armed groups of the opposition elements in and around Myawaddy.

After the Thin Gan Nyi Naung military camp of the Myanmar Tatmadaw, near Myawaddy was captured, armed forces of the opposition elements launched an offensive in order to capture Myawaddy when the No. 275 Infantry, the Myawaddy City Guard, had to retreat to the vicinity of the Thai-Myanmar No.(2) Friendship Bridge.

On the other hand, the civilians who lived in Myawaddy were suffering from heat of grief and had to cross the river and ran away to the Thai side, carrying their children on their backs.

While armed forces of the opposition were able to enter a military camp of the Tatmadaw in Myawaddy

These incidents were ceaselessly reported by The Reporter, a Thai News Agency and when the security forces of the Myanmar Tatmadaw were no more in Myawaddy, the opposition forces seized the control of the town and were patrolling for security, which the news agency reported.

When the opposition forces had controlled the headquarters of the No.275 Infantry, Mr.Thapanee Eadsrichai went to the headquarters and took photos of the ground situation including raising the KNU flag after which they were broadcast by the news agency.

Those who watched those images online believed that Myawaddy had been captured by the opposition forces because the opposition elements applied the news media and propaganda at the same time while they were waging battles, and were able to persuade the public mind.

While Mr.Thapanee Eadsrichai, a reporter from the Reporter arrived in the No.275 Infantry Battalion and was taking photos

The date when the people saw online that the opposition forces were able to control Myawaddy was 15th April, 2024. That day was only a date of dream when the opposition forces reported or stated that they had seized control of Myawaddy.

When I woke up scarily from that small beautiful dream and got up and looked out of the window, I had to know that Aung Zeya Operation led by Vice Sr-Gen Soe Win was being implemented to ensure that Myanmar Tatmadaw could seize control of Myawaddy; that Myanmar Tatmadaw could regain control of Thin Gan Nyi Naung military camp and in order to send military reinforcements to the No.275 Infantry.

After that, battles broke out severely in and around Myawaddy and along the Kawkareik Road going to Myawaddy and the KNU/PDF joint forces retreated after which the Myanmar Tatmadaw regained the control of Myawaddy and raised the national flag at the No.275 Infantry, Myawaddy City Guard.

The reason why the Myanmar Tatmadaw was able to regain the control of Myawaddy was because there were disagreements among the leaders of the KNU, said a KNU leader.

While the Myanmar Tatmadaw was re-hoisting the national flag at the No.275 Infantry Battalion

" Most of the KNU leaders and the Karen National Army (KNA) were worried that the stability would be damaged and they were also worried that the friendship with Thailand would be damaged. Some leaders of the KNU wanted to capture Myawaddy. So, there were disagreements among the leaders. Moreover, locals were also worried that the town would be ruined." he said.

Because Myawaddy Town is the main gate for the Thai-Myanmar trade and the trade value is several million dollars each day, some leaders of the KNU were worried that the friendship between the two governments would be broken. So, the KNLA/PDF joint forces retreated reportedly.

Moreover, because some leaders of the KNU had understood that peace talks must be conducted with the Myanmar Tatmadaw sometime in the future, the KNU made a decision to lift the operation that would control Myawaddy, explained a person close to the KNU.

However, the NUG and the PDF, opposition elements, wanted to try to go on controlling other regions after seizing control of Myawaddy. So, they have different ways of thinking from some of the KNU leader, he explained.

Some KNU leaders who are eager to control Myawaddy envied the military success of Operation-1027 waged by the AA, the TNLA and the MNDAA and their battles that could capture territories and the leaders had a burning desire to control Myawaddy, said a dissident who has arrived on the Thai border.

While seeing the national flag of Myanmar

" EAOs and the NUG like " You take the territory that you can capture" form. So, they waged battles to capture Myawaddy. To be able to do so, a powerful country supported them. Humanitarian financial assistance given by the powerful country became weapons. At that time, some KNU leaders imagined to do as northern EAOs did. Opposition elements were also encouraged. They brough some journalists and stated they had captured Myawaddy. But the geographical position is different from northern Shan State. Some KNU leaders had different ways of thinking from other leaders. So, the KNLA/PDF joint forces retreated." he said.

To control Myawaddy was a big goal of the revolutionary forces and opposition elements. Moreover, it was a big dream of theirs for the future.

Because the Myanmar Tatmadaw had understood that Myawaddy might be a decision for the country, it might attempt to go on controlling Myawaddy in various ways, explained a person close to the Myanmar Tatmadaw. And then, the Thai-Myanmar No.2 Friendship Bridge decided for the country.

The role of the Karen National Army that was transformed from the BGF was very important to the decision, said a member of the opposition elements.

In Myanmar, democratic movements break into pieces when economic sanction on Myanmar could not make the administration disintegrate. 

While seeing the Myawaddy Trade Zone

That is to say, the economic crisis alone could not make the administration disintegrate. 
Moreover, if the democratic elements of the opposition were not strong, they would have to depend on a powerful government such as Beijing or Washington and they would have to stay under the influence of that government.

So, Myanmar might be trapped in the conflict of the two powerful countries and it could become a country that gets worse than one whose politics and economy are unstable, which everyone should take care of.

In any case at present, there have been agreements to keep Myawaddy as a non-combat economic zone, to allow the No.275 Infantry resettle at the original place and to reinstate government employees from customs and immigration departments.

So, Myawaddy was just a small dream town of the opposition elements, those in the opposition at the border commented.