An official with the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), an ethnic Kachin rebel organization which has a ceasefire pact with the junta and one of the oldest running insurgent groups, said authorities have begun registering several of their members and issuing them with temporary cards, which they call a 'White Card'.

"Most of us have finished registering and received the White Card," said the KIO official, who did not want to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the press.

The official told Mizzima the 'White Card' is issued mainly to enable members of ceasefire groups to cast their votes during the junta's planned referendum in May.

"The authorities said they will complete registering and issuing the cards by the end of March," the official added.

He went on to mention that members of the KIO, who have never had any form of identity cards due to their involvement in an armed rebellion, are happy to receive the cards as it will enable them to travel.

"Our members are happy to get the cards as it will help them in traveling, so they don't care for what purpose it is and just register themselves," the official remarked.

In Burma, traveling or any form of office-related work requires proof of a National Identity card, possessed by all citizens.

While KIO officials declined to comment on the junta's planned referendum to be conducted in May, and the election in 2010, the armed rebels say they do not object to Burmese authorities registering their cadres.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of another major ethnic armed ceasefire group, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), said Burmese officials have also begun registering their cadres and issuing temporary cards.

"The authorities said they need to register people who don't have any identity card, to enable them to cast their votes in the upcoming referendum polling," said the official, who requested to remain anonymous.

While the UWSA has no objection to its cadres being registered and issued White Cards, the official did not comment on whether its cadres will be permitted to cast their votes.

Aung Kyaw Zaw, a Burmese analyst along the Sino-Burmese border, said the junta's plan is to gain the support of the ceasefire groups and ensure their casting their votes in favor of the junta's draft constitution.

"The junta is targeting an easy vote from the ceasefire groups, whom they think will support them," Aung Kyaw Zaw, who maintains a close relationship with the ceasefire groups, said.

He added that the likelihood of members of the ceasefire armed groups casting votes will largely depend on the leaders of the individual groups.

"If their leaders are close with the junta then we can expect that all personnel will cast a vote in favor of the junta," conjectured Aung Kyaw Zaw.

According to an inside source, the KIO, one of Burma's longest running insurgencies, is currently holding meetings on the junta's planned referendum and election.