Democratic Karen Buddhist Army
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army is a breakaway group of Buddhist
former soldiers and officers of the Karen National Liberation Army
(KNLA), one of the larger insurgent armies in Burma. Since shortly after their breakaway in 1994, the DKBA have enjoyed a ceasefire with the Myanmar army.
The Karen
insurgency began with Burma's independence from the British in 1948 and is the longest running in Myanmar today. Though the majority of Karens are Buddhist, the Karen political leadership and leadership of the Karen insurgency have always been overwhelming Christian, a legacy of American missionary influence over the 19th and early 20th centuries. The DKBA breakaway was rooted in the perceived discrimination by the Christian leadership against local Buddhist Karen communities and the Buddhist Karen rank-and-file of the Karen insurgency KNLA
.
The Burmese army was quick to exploit the breakaway and soon agreed to a ceasefire arrangement with the DKBA, who have since profited from various sanctioned business arrangements, at the expense of the KNLA who long dominated trade and revenue extraction in the area.
This group was reportedly given territory inside of Burma to rule over in exchange. They played a significant part in the capture of Manerplaw
, a stronghold of the Karen rebels.
Pado Mahn Shar
, the secretary-general of the Karen National Union was shot dead in his home in Mae Sot
, Thailand
, on February 14, 2008. Many analysts claim that the assassination was possibly carried out by soldiers of the DKBA.
, when the DKBA clashed violently with junta troops. The violence caused a massive exodus of refugees across the border to Thailand, particularly through border crossings controlled by the DKBA. On November 12, Al-Jazeera English reported that the DKBA has joined forces with the Karen National Liberation Army
, the two rebel armies forming an alliance, in advance of a possible crackdown by the military government.
The break-down DKBA is managed by Bo Nat Khann Mway
.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
former soldiers and officers of the Karen National Liberation Army
Karen National Liberation Army
The Karen National Liberation Army is the military branch of the Karen National Union , which campaigns for the self-determination of the Karen people of Burma. The KNLA has been fighting the Burmese government since 1949....
(KNLA), one of the larger insurgent armies in Burma. Since shortly after their breakaway in 1994, the DKBA have enjoyed a ceasefire with the Myanmar army.
The Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
insurgency began with Burma's independence from the British in 1948 and is the longest running in Myanmar today. Though the majority of Karens are Buddhist, the Karen political leadership and leadership of the Karen insurgency have always been overwhelming Christian, a legacy of American missionary influence over the 19th and early 20th centuries. The DKBA breakaway was rooted in the perceived discrimination by the Christian leadership against local Buddhist Karen communities and the Buddhist Karen rank-and-file of the Karen insurgency KNLA
Karen National Liberation Army
The Karen National Liberation Army is the military branch of the Karen National Union , which campaigns for the self-determination of the Karen people of Burma. The KNLA has been fighting the Burmese government since 1949....
.
The Burmese army was quick to exploit the breakaway and soon agreed to a ceasefire arrangement with the DKBA, who have since profited from various sanctioned business arrangements, at the expense of the KNLA who long dominated trade and revenue extraction in the area.
1990s and 2000s
Much fighting since 1994 in the Karen state have seen the DKBA closely allied with the Myanmar army against the remnant KNLA forces, who have gradually lost more and more territory and bases inside the country.This group was reportedly given territory inside of Burma to rule over in exchange. They played a significant part in the capture of Manerplaw
Manerplaw
Manerplaw is a city in the Kayin State of Burma and is also the suggested capital of the proposed Kawthoolei state that the Karen people of Burma have been trying to establish since the late 1940s. The headquarters of the Karen National Union were located in Manerplaw until January 1995.The...
, a stronghold of the Karen rebels.
Pado Mahn Shar
Pado Mahn Shar
Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan was the secretary general of the Karen National Union , which is the largest insurgent group in Burma. -Early life:...
, the secretary-general of the Karen National Union was shot dead in his home in Mae Sot
Mae Sot
- External links :* * : an audio documentary.* *...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, on February 14, 2008. Many analysts claim that the assassination was possibly carried out by soldiers of the DKBA.
2010s
The informal alliance between the Myanmar junta and the DKBA seemed to break down in the aftermath of the general election of 2010Burmese general election, 2010
A general election was held in Burma on 2010, in accordance with the new constitution which was approved in a referendum held in...
, when the DKBA clashed violently with junta troops. The violence caused a massive exodus of refugees across the border to Thailand, particularly through border crossings controlled by the DKBA. On November 12, Al-Jazeera English reported that the DKBA has joined forces with the Karen National Liberation Army
Karen National Liberation Army
The Karen National Liberation Army is the military branch of the Karen National Union , which campaigns for the self-determination of the Karen people of Burma. The KNLA has been fighting the Burmese government since 1949....
, the two rebel armies forming an alliance, in advance of a possible crackdown by the military government.
The break-down DKBA is managed by Bo Nat Khann Mway
Bo Nat Khann Mway
Bo Nat Khann Mway;"Na Kham Mwe";"Na Kam Mui";"Col Saw Lah Pwe";"Colonel Saw La Pwe";"Bo Moustache";"Saw Lar Bwe";"Saw La Bwe"; "Saw Lah Bwe"; "Mr. Moustache"; "Mr. Beard" The break-away DKBA is managed by Bo Nat Khann Mway...
.
External links
- Revolution Reviewed: The Karens' Struggle for Right to Self-determination and Hope for the Future Saw Kapi, February 26, 2006, retrieved on 2006-11-30
- Fifty Years of Struggle: A Review of the Fight for the Karen People's Autonomy (abridged) Ba Saw Khin, 1998 (revised 2005), retrieved on 2006-11-30
- Determined Resistance: An Interview with Gen. Bo Mya The IrrawaddyThe IrrawaddyThis article is about a newsmagazine. For other uses of the term, please see Irrawaddy.For the Second World War battle honour, see Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations...
, October 2003 - Photos by James Robert Fuller