In a show of military muscle, a number of military tanks have been spotted doing the rounds of Myit Kyina town, capital of Kachin State in northern Burma, an officer of the Kachin Independence Army, an armed ceasefire group, said.
"I was told by our headquarters [on the Sino-Burmese border] that several tanks are seen doing the rounds in Myit Kyina town, particularly in front of the KIA office in Shatapru quarter," the KIA officer, who requested anonymity, told Mizzima.
While the reason for the sudden show of strength by the Burmese Army is still unclear, the KIA officer said it could be a warning to the KIA, which has been fighting the Burmese military dictators for over 40 years, for failing to comply with the junta's request.
The Burmese military junta has pressured the KIA to sign a pre-written statement that refuted the declaration made by detained Burmese pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in early November.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on November 8, issued a statement through the visiting UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, stating her willingness to cooperate with the ruling junta to kick-start a process of national reconciliation in serious consideration to the interest of ethnic nationalities.
Following the statement, the junta sent its Minister for Culture to area along the Sino-Burmese border and pressured ethnic cease fire groups to issue statements countering Daw Suu's statement.
"May be the junta wants to show its strength to us and wants to give us some kind of warning," added the KIA officer.
Meanwhile, a source in Myit Kyina town confirmed that he had seen several army tanks doing the rounds of the town.
"I think it was in the last week of November, when I returned from work I saw a few tanks in the centre of the town," said the source, who does not wish to disclose his identity.
