Civilians In A Spot Over Tension Between NDA-K And RRF

Ethnic Kachin civilians in Burma's northern Kachin State are suffering from myriad troubles in the wake of palpable tension between two Kachin armed groups loyal to Burma's ruling junta, said local sources.

The rapport with the enemy between Pangwa-based New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Hkawnglanghpu-based Rebellion Resistance Force (RRF or Ta-Ka-Sa-Hpa) is creating fresh trouble for civilians in their controlled areas, said people in these places.

The tension between the two pro-Naypyitaw groups was triggered after the over 20 Rawang-tribe military personnel led by businessman Ahdang (also called Tanggu Dang), of the same tribe in NDA-K split with their arms and formed the Rawang special RRF in late 2005, according to sources in the two groups.

Rawang villagers in Lang Ze and surrounding areas in Hsawlaw Township north of Kachin State have been treated like foes by NDA-K soldiers of battalion No. 1 since the RRF split from the group, said local villagers.

A villager in Lang Ze told KNG, that villagers are suspected to be RRF personnel or its supporters and they are always stopped and interrogated for hours at the NDA-K checkpoint at Tabang Hka River (also spelled Dabang Hka) under battalion No. 1.

All villagers in these areas have to rely on rice from the Chinese border markets in Hpimaw and Kangfang coming through the NDA-K's Tabang's Hka gate. Now it has become difficult to get rice from the border because the amount of essential food deliveries to the villages have been restricted by the NDA-K, said local villagers.

Over 200 households in Lang Ze and surrounding areas mainly cultivate corn as rice-paddy cannot be grown in these areas because of the cold weather. For this reason, they rely on rice supplies from the Chinese border market, according to villagers.

A villager in Lang Ze on the China border told KNG, two villagers in his village were suspected to be RRF soldiers and interrogated for three hours at the NDA-K's Tabang Hka River checkpoint on September 11. They were not authorized to go to the China border.

He added, Major Muk Myaw Dau Hkawng is in-charge of the checkpoint. He told villagers that NDA-K will allow the villagers to go to China border if they join NDA-K--- not RRF.

A villager of Lang Ze said, "I believe the organization is formed for the prosperity of the people and people's development. But our situation is terrible where our family businesses and our mental state are affected, and our regular route to China border for essential commodities is restricted by the NDA-K with gun power".

In 2004 before the Rawang tribe military personnel split from the NDA-K to form the RRF, the NDA-K had tried to station the new battalion No. 4 in Lang Ze but the new battalion and its plans failed due to prohibition by the Burmese Army.

Now, both RRF and NDA-K are being increasingly disliked by local people because they are creating trouble in different ways for the local people, all in the name of working for people's prosperity, according to locals in RRF and NDA-K areas.

KNG