An interview with a sergeant who defected to the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF).
June 20 th, 2022
On June 3rd, a 29-year-old sergeant from Light Infantry Battalion-72 of the military council joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) by defecting to the Battalion-10 of the KNDF along with arms.
He performed his duties in Putao and then moved to Karenni State around five months ago. The KT interviewed him about why he joined the CDM and the situations inside the army.
Q: May I know how you joined the CDM?
A: The main reason is I am inconvenient. In the past, I thought about whether I should defect. How to earn my living after the defection? I attended the training course for two years. I think I would not be okay as I spent around two years getting three bars. What will I do if I join the CDM? The main point is I am fed up. I was unhappy to stay in the army. I no longer wanted to hold the gun. The differences between the officers and other ranks in the army are very big. Only after the emergence of the revolution, most high-ranking officers threaten other ranks. According to my experience, other ranks have no rights to sit even in a shop when the officers are present. Salary rates are different. But, they discriminate against other ranks, saying that you have no rights to sit in this shop. I have not withdrawn life insurance yet. There are a lot of soldiers who left the army without getting any life insurance.
There are some servicemen who are going to retire in Kayah State in November. The army is not in a position to refund life insurance. The army regularly deducts the life insurance fee from our salaries. The army usually defers the payments when time has come to repay it. If the basic pay of a private is Ks-150,000, he never gets Ks-150,000 in full. The main reason for defection is salary and inconvenience. We thought that we could go home to meet our families by wearing this uniform which can give the impression to the people after the completion of training courses. The public has regarded those wearing this uniform as the ones of the military council although the people say nothing. I made a decision to defect after thinking thoroughly.
Q: How did you get out of the army?
A: I contacted two youths. They told me that they would pick me. They said they would hand it over. Then, they would make arrangements for me. I told them that I would bring at least two guns when I defected. But my attempt failed. I could bring one gun only.
Q: Which arms did you bring when you defected?
A: I brought MA3 and three magazine boxes.
Q: May I know your view on the military coup?
A: On February 1st, the military staged a coup at the beginning of the second year course. At that time, we were learning the subject of military law at the hall. The soldiers have different opinions. Some trainees said we did not need to repay three-month loans due to the coup. I had no clear view of the voting. We had to cast our ballots. At that time, I phoned my unit. Because I was not present in Kachin State. I told the captain that the Hpakant training school told me to cast my vote. The captain replied that he had cast my vote according to my desire. I did not cast an advance vote. The army asked us to give the NRC cards. The servicemen have to cast advance votes as they have to wear this uniform. I accept it. The accusation of vote fraud is impossible. Everybody, even children, know who will win the election. The answer is clear. There is no reason for vote rigging. They lost the election whatever the situation was. The problems arose inside the army as soldiers cast their votes for the NLD. The army frequently organized campaigns. The army will do the same in the upcoming election. The army organized the families of soldiers to cast their votes. The army indirectly urged them to cast votes for the military-linked party.
Q: What is your future plan as you have joined the CDM?
A: I think they may have a plan for CDMers. I will negotiate at the least based on the path arranged by them.
Q: Do you have any plan to fight against the military?
A: I have no plan to do so. I don’t want to meet face to face. I want to take a rest peacefully.
Q: What about your family?
A: My father and mother passed away. I am single.
Q: What is the difference in the army before and after the coup?
A: We had to prepare for defense every day. We had to stand guard. We had no places to go. We had to stay at a tent round the clock. It has been a long time since the soldiers lost contact with others. The women who get married to the soldiers have to do like that. All the families are not allowed to go outside and to contact the people outside. Soldiers are not allowed to use mobile phones. Soldiers are not allowed to take leave since the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wake of the coup, the privates who took leave did not return to the army. They may join the CDM. Many defectors did not return to the army as they wanted to live a peaceful life. When I phoned my friend in Mandalay, he said there were six or seven defectors in a month. The term used by Tatmadaw is the casualty rate. It is linked to death, defection and the CDM. There are different forms of casualty. The lower unit told the above to relax the rules. However, the battalion commanders do not relax the tightened rules. Many soldiers have defected. No one joins the army. Most of the training schools cannot operate at present. There were thousands of soldiers at the training course I completed. The army has to make a lot of efforts to collect around 18 trainees.
Q: How does the military handle the situations at present?
A: Soldiers are not allowed to go outside. A soldier has rights to take a leave. But the army did not allow them to take leave. According to the rule, a soldier can take at least one month in a year. However, the soldiers have not been allowed to take one-month leave in a year since before the coup. The soldiers may take a leave for at most 15 days. They can enjoy an additional five days. Those who have a very friendly relation with the battalion commander can enjoy it.
The soldiers who are likely to defect are not allowed to take leave.
Q: To what extent is the mechanism of the military worse?
A: I met with my friends. I have different views from some of my friends. The sure point is they get killed on purpose. Whatever they say I myself experienced it. Take a look at Division-66 which is carrying out an offensive in Kayah State. There are not many forces left. Division-66 is tired. It had not many members during over one year of the war in Kayah State. The reinforcement is impossible due to the deployments of troops to the frontlines. The military has to deploy troops in Arakan State. A soldier has to think about his savings, contributions at Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd, life insurance and family before defection. He will lose all things when he defects. I had to leave my computer, matriculation exam certificate, university student ID card when I defected. Those who cannot give up these things continue to stay in the army. They have to perform their duties although they have no desire to do so.
Sent by Maw Oo Myar (Kantarawaddy Times)
