During the lifetime of the military dictators in Myanmar, it has been able to file a record as Min Aung Hlaing’s pocket army; it lost in every battle, surrendered with the white flag, and ran until it reached India.
Shortly after the start of Operation 1027, a group of 41 junta soldiers, including the deputy battalion commander of the 143rd Infantry Battalion based in Kammai Region, Kunlon Township, surrendered as the first batch of mass surrenders. On November 12, the entire 129th Light Infantry Battalion based in the Kokang region and their families, a total of 262 people, surrendered. On November 28, a total of 272 people, including the entire 125th Infantry Battalion based in Kokang, Kone Kyan region, did again.
In the above surrenders, they surrendered in the usual way and took refuge in the arms of the people. On January 4, 2024, the surrender with weapons and re-joining of the military—the way the junta generals created it—made a history again.
Six Brigadier Generals, more than 2,100 troops, and 1,600 family members of the regional command headquarters, Lauk Kai Da-Ka-Sa, surrendered their weapons to the Kokang Army (MNDAA) and took refuge at the Northeast Military Headquarters in Lashio. On January 5th, the next batch surrendered and rejoined the military. Within two days, Lauk Kai surrendered more than 2,000 soldiers, including six majors and more than 1,600 family members. Similarly, on January 7th, the military strategic camp in Kut Khaing surrendered and returned to the military.
During the lifetime of the military dictators, such a large number of surrenders was never dreamed of, and the process of surrendering and returning to the arms of the military only came under Min Aung Hlaing, who was said to be the Commander-in-Chief.
Chapter 6, 32(a) of the Military Act clearly stipulates that the punishment for those leading deserters to surrender is the death penalty, so it can be concluded that the leading commanders did not dare to surrender and return to the army without orders from superiors. Some reports say that Min Aung Hlaing himself approved the surrender.
In any case, Min Aung Hlaing’s pocket army suffered massive losses, and it still goes. The entire area of Chin State and Paletwa, which is important for military purposes, fell under the attack and occupation of the Arakan Army (AA) again.
Shortly thereafter, on January 16, many soldiers and their family members from the 539th Light Infantry Battalion based in Kansauk Village, Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, surrendered to the AA again.
In a row, on January 17, 278 soldiers of Min Aung Hlaing fled across the border into Mizoram, India. Indian media reported that Min Aung Hlaing’s soldiers had fled to India for the sixth time, including that time, for a total of about 700. The number of soldiers who fled to a foreign country was a record that had never been seen before during the military dictatorship.
When Min Aung Hlaing’s army was faced with historic losses from all sides, even the religious extremists who were used by the junta generals cracked up to the point that Min Aung Hlaing was explicitly asked to step down from the position of Commander-in-Chief.
On January 16th, at the protest against MNDAA and the military support meeting held by the military supporters and Ma-Ba-Tha supporters (Patriotic Association of Myanmar) in Pyin Oo Lwin, Pauk Ko Taw, a monk who identified himself as the leader of the Pyu Saw Htee militia, a member of Ma-Ba-Tha, mocked Min Aung Hlaing as a religious doner and demanded that the post of commander-in-chief be handed over to Soe Win.
They asked that, as for Min Aung Hlaing who is facing mass losses, he realizes his own loss and asks to step down from the post of Commander in Chief and hand over the military to Soe Win with a real soldier’s face. In other words, after all that Min Aung Hlaing had lost, military supporters dreamed of winning back the people and the revolutionary forces under Soe Win’s management.
The demoralized army, the army with almost no military ability, the army that was looking for a way out, and the army with which soldiers themselves realized that they did not have to give their lives for the dictators, has been collapsing like a broken dam. On top of that, not only Soe Win’s hands but the hands of all the generals could not stop the collapse.
In addition, the only strong desire of the people of Myanmar is the surrender of Min Aung Hlaing, Soe Win, the entire junta military, and the rest of its lackeys.
Translator – Zin