SUMMARY

The Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army, also sometimes referred to as DKBO (Democratic Kayin Buddhist Organisation), was formed as a breakaway faction of the KNU (Karen National Union) in the eastern part of Myanmar (Burma). The organization primarily consisted of Buddhist ethnic Karen who quickly agreed a ceasefire with the government in return for some military and financial assistance provided it supported government offensives against the KNU.

Several reasons coincided and contributed to the formation of the DKBA in December 1994. The KNU had since its formation primarily been led by Christian Karen even though the majority of the Karen people, and most troops of the organisation, were Buddhist. For decades, this was not an issue, but discontent started to spread during the late 1980s about corruption in the leadership and that Buddhist solders were less likely to be promoted. A Buddhist monk, U Thuzana, had started a campaign in 1992 of constructing pagodas all over Karen state including at the KNU headquarters at Manerplaw. As the KNU leadership were reluctant to grant permission for the white-pained pagoda, claiming it would attract government air strikes, Thuzana started to encourage KNU troops to leave the organisation. Following some skirmishes and failed negotiations in early December, the DKBA announced its formation and collective resignation from the KNU on 28 December 1994.

DKBA has formally remained led by U Thuzana, even though its activity seems to have been implemented by local low-level leaders in close cooperation with government forces in the area.

DKBA has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.