Formation The DKBA was formed for a variety of reasons. A
Buddhist monk named
U Thuzana had started a campaign in 1992 of constructing
pagodas in
Karen State, including at the KNU headquarters of
Manerplaw. As the KNU leadership would not grant permission for construction of the pagodas, claiming they would attract government
air strikes, Thuzana began to encourage KNLA soldiers to desert the organisation. Following a couple skirmishes and failed negotiations in early December 1994, the DKBA announced its formation and its split from the KNU on 1 January 1995. Its political wing composed of Buddhist officers, Democratic Karen Buddhist Organisation, was established on 21 December 1994.
2010s In 2010, DKBA soldiers split away from the organisation and renamed themselves the
Democratic Karen Benevolent Army – Brigade 5 (DKBA-5), which was led by
Bo Nat Khann Mway (Saw Lar Phwal). The newly formed group originally had five brigades under its control (hence its name), but currently commands only three.
Resurgence DKBA under the original name of Democratic Karen Buddhist Army reemerged under the command of Saw Kyaw Thet, a brigadier general who split away from DKBA-5. In early June 2021, a combined force of five armed groups; Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, PDF,
KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KPC),
Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) and a Karen
Border Guard Force (BGF) splinter group clashed with
Tatmadaw and Karen
BGF in Phlu village,
Karen state. Brigadier General Saw Kyaw Thet, stated that the five armed groups are cooperating throughout
Karen state. ==References==