JAKARTA - A total of twelve police officers in Kanpetlet City, Chin State defected to join the fight against the coup regime, a local resistance group said.
Chinland Defense Force (CDF) announced on Saturday it had taken responsibility for the safety of the defectors, which included a sergeant and two corporals who were all ethnic Chins.
The defection comes two days after the CDF stormed a police station in the city on May 13. These defectors were warmly welcomed and 'cared for' by the CDF.
"We welcome ethnic Chin people who join CDM and come to collaborate with us. We are treating them," said a CDF spokesman in Kanpetlet, who asked not to be named, visiting Myanmar Now Monday, May 24.
"If police officers want to join the armed resistance and fight Myanmar's military regime, the CDF will welcome them. There is also no objection if they want to live with their families in a safe place," the CDF spokesman continued.
On the same occasion, the CDF also issued a statement of defectors who were reluctant to serve again under military dictatorship, and urged other police to immediately defect.
After the February 1 coup, many police officers in Chin State left their posts to join the national Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
More than 200 of them fled across the border into Mizoram in India, Reuters reports. Other defectors took refuge in the local community.
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The CDF, whose members are mostly Chins from nine other state and regional townships, was formed in April amid a crackdown on anti-coup protesters.
Myanmar Coup. The VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in that one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news covering the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.
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