Major Nai Maung Zaw of the Myanmar military-backed Border Guard Force (BGF) of the Kayin State said that the leadership of the BGF will think again about their decision to resign en masse, after Tatmadaw requested them to reconsider.

Because of issues related to the Shwe Kokko New City project, the Myanmar military forced the resignation of three BGF leaders including BGF General Secretary Colonel Saw Chit Thu. Then, the entire BGF leadership decided to resign on 14 January as a protest.

A Tatmadaw delegation led by a senior army officer at the rank of Lieutenant General visited the BGF in Kayin State on 15 January to negotiate.

Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team said, “The issue was caused by a misunderstanding. Now we are negotiating. We can hope for the best.”

Some military and BGF officials have been involved in the China-backed Shwe Kokko New City project.

In the past, the BGF claimed that the Shwe Kokko New City Project could substantially help their group to provide food and shelter for about 8,000 members.