BURMA
Govt ‘Plotting Kachin Attack’ despite Peace Rhetoric
KIA artillery position in northernmost Burma. (Photo: my.tianya.cn)
Amid apparent attempts to arrange peace talks, the Burmese military is preparing for a large scale offensive against Kachin rebels in northern Burma with large troop deployments at the frontline, according to local sources.
La Nan, a spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), said that Burmese government troops keep arriving by land and boats along the Irrawaddy River with an estimated 30,000 soldiers from battalions under Light Infantry Divisions 44, 77, 88 and 99 currently on the ground.
The road from Bhamo City to the KIO’s headquarter in Laiza, on the Sino-Burmese border, is also being inundated with government forces to protect military supplies and food shipments, according to La Nan. Similar security deployments can also be found along the road between Waingmaw and Kampati townships in southeastern Kachin State.
Despite KIO leaders writing to government peace negotiators in July to arrange another round of talks in Ruili, in China’s Yunnan Province, there has been no official response from Burmese officials so far, said La Nan.
Instead, “[The government] is sending more troops and military supplies. They have tripled their troops to protect against attacks by KIA [Kachin Independence Army] soldiers,” said La Nan. The KIA is the military wing of the KIO.
He also expected government troops to use armored units if fighting intensifies with ammunition for artillery and rocket launchers being transported to the conflict zone.
“Kachin State is in a risky situation,” said La Nan. “We can’t avoid war if they intend to wipe out us. We will try to cut their military supplies. We will launch attacks against their security forces using any means.”
Meanwhile, parliamentary debates have reportedly taken place between government peace negotiators and military officials over ceasefires with ethnic armed groups.
Sources from Naypyidaw said that Railways Minister Aung Min, the government’s chief negotiator, proposed accelerating the peace process.
However, Gen Soe Win, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Burmese armed forces, joined other military officials in objecting to Aung Min’s proposal by citing the hefty casualties suffered while fighting the KIA. Soe Win is also part of President Thein Sein’s peace committee.
Burmese Vice-President Sai Mauk Kham, an ethnic Shan, reportedly said that he also wants internal conflicts to be resolved as all ethnic rebels and government troops are citizens of Burma. Last week, Sai Mauk Kham also said that ceasefire agreements do not guarantee lasting peace and are always breakable.
According to KIO sources, Aung Min has informally agreed to hold a political dialogue with rebel leaders but the exact location remains a sticking point. Peace talks have been held repeatedly since early this year but no tangible agreement has been reached so far.
The KIO signed a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government in 1994, but this truce broke down in June last year leading to more than 60,000 Kachin civilians being displaced to temporary camps by the Sino-Burmese border
The government’s Myanmar National Human Rights Commission recently visited Kachin State to witness the situation on the ground firsthand. A report released this week said that both KIA and government troops committed human rights abuses and called for an end to the war in northern Burma.
The rights body also said that child soldiers were being recruited by the KIA, but did not mention similar allegations made by the Kachin rebels about the Burmese military.
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If the Nay Pyi Taw is attacking the KIO, all ethnic groups who signed the Peace Agreement with Thein Sein government must nullify their Peace Agreement too. Divide and Rule system is no longer appropriate in the Union of Myanmar. Their one misstep can mess up the whole Union in one second. Because everyone is watching Nay Pyi Taw’s step. Peace with the Rohingya but guns and bullets for the real ethnic is absolutely unacceptable.
who is attacking who only jesus christ knows.
Longlong ago and until today Burma Army are untrustworthy, crooked, dishonest and Liar. They always want Advantages and Profit from Native Indigenous Tribes Peoples.
How about watching interview video of 88 gen
students to burmese child soldiers?
Aung min is gonna get sacked in about 3 months
At the 13 August “Sino-Myanamr Relations Talk”, a leading Sino-Myanmar scholar from China said the #1 issue for China to address is helping end armed ethnic minority conflict in Myanmar. Very interesting and encouraging to hear that from a distiguish public person – in the Chinese Embassy. It is my hope that the Chinese and all international community press for an immediate end to the conflict and suffering in Kachin. If “the situation in Arakan state is giving the so-called new Burma a black eye – in the eyes of the international community” then the inability to bring about peace in Kachinland has surely broken off her limb.
[the government] is sending more troops and military supplies. they have tripled their troops to protect against attacks by kia [kachin independence army] soldiers,” said la nan.
now only you are yelling “i have been robbed” after being beaten on the back like they say in burma.
he also expected government troops to use armored units if fighting intensifies with ammunition for artillery and rocket launchers being transported to the conflict zone.
of course min aung hlaing’s under orders and paid as well to do his job and worst as well on the kia and kachins trust me.
“kachin state is in a risky situation,” said la nan. “we can’t avoid war if they intend to wipe out us. we will try to cut their military supplies. we will launch attacks against their security forces using any means.”
there is no doubt for that matter; min aung hlaing is under obligation and orders – china’s of course – to bring kia to heel at the earliest to meet china’s deadline 2013 (conclude myitsone dam project and all other chinese interests in kachin state).
and china will not rest until burma and resource rich islands in the south china sea come under its jurisdiction and control no less.
burma is vital for china’s gambit for regional and in turn global hegemony as envisaged since since day one until today i say.
hence, peace efforts in kachin state are just smoke screens for that matter – subjugation of kia primarily and colonization of burma in the future via economic hegemony and influx of ethnic chinese on the long run – lest all people in burma forget.
True.
John,
“Longlong ago and until today Burma Army are untrustworthy, crooked, dishonest and Liar. They always want Advantages and Profit from Native Indigenous Tribes Peoples.”
So, so true.
“Aung min is gonna get sacked in about 3 months.” Whoever falls for Aung Min should have the head examined.
“If the Nay Pyi Taw is attacking the KIO, all ethnic groups who signed the Peace Agreement with Thein Sein government must nullify their Peace Agreement too.”
No they won’t. That is the whole point. Every one, especially the younger generation, drooling for Thai-like high rise buildings and Karaoke bars are going to sell themselves and their brethren out dropping all the principles in Aung San Suu Kyi fashion.
Money always buys every thing. Sit-tut knows that. They are the money men.
Without Gen. Min Aung Hlaing direct involvement, the peace treaty between Burmese military and Burmese ethnics’ army is meaningless. Currently Burma has rule by two leaders one is for Government and another one is for Military.
Ex dictatorship created rival leaders for Burma before he retired.
President U Thein Sein has no authority over military and even he can be afraid of over throw by military leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing at any times.
So Burmese ethnic groups need agreement it direct come from Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. Ethnics’ leader must demand direct talk with Gen. Min Aung Hlaing otherwise the meeting with delegation of President’s peace committee is wasting times.
It would seem so. But Min Aung Hlaing is personally as impotent as Thein Sein who in fact has excellent TV presence and demeanour and good acting skills.
They simply are CEO and COO of the Burma Inc. with nebulous but unquestionable “Board of Directors” and formidable and authoritative “Advisory Board” which does NOT include “Myanmar Egress”- the international relation/ co-ordination front.
One also has to remember that NONE of the armed groups truly represents the populace although some has more sincerity than others. A large number of their leaders over the history time and again has proven that they can be bought off some times too easily with money, “development” plans, “offices”, and false promises.
Since Aung San Suu Kyi decided having no principles and going along with whatever crumbs thrown her way is the smart and clever way to go, most groups are following suit. Younger generations in these groups would sell their mothers to live like the Thai’s- SUV’s, Karaoke bars, Casinoes, foreign holidays.
Now the “International communities” looking for next unspoilt country to exploit are rooting for the military, Kachin, the only one with principled stand, are in difficult but honourable predicament.
See, these are times most people prefer living decadent lives to dying for the principles.
The Burmese populace? They like Thai life as well. At any cost.
So both Thein Sein and Min Aung Hliang’s jobs are secure.
Myanmar government must stop military operation against all armed groups immediately. Talking about peace but deploying more troops must not bring any good in the process toward peace. How can we achieve peace in our Union this way? President Thein Sein and Minister of Defense must be above Chief of Staffs Min Aung Hlaing. Now, Min Aung Hlaing seems above Thein Sein. Military dictatorship must be wiped out of Myanmar. Thein Sein talks a lot about peace but military wing is still continuing Than Shwe’s way. How can we trust this government?
Technically Thein Sein can still go back to military as the same rank for another 3 years. Min Aung Hlaing though now ranks above Thein Sein since last promotion. Remember he holds Than Shwe’s post. But in realty both of them would not even dare to stand straight in front of Than Shwe.
As it is now, Min Aung Hlaing can do anything he wants with Thein Sein but Thein Sein can’t do anything against any one from the military.
Thein Sein’s main job is to bullshit the country to leave the marauding military alone while they amuse themsleves playing the dress up game in the debt-financed concrete behemoth called “parliament” in that wierdly named palce called “Nay-Pyi-Daw”, the place of the KING.
Killing and attacking? This policy was clearly a failed policy attempted 60 years by Myanmar government. Guns and bullets cannot solve our problems. Now is the time to come together to one table and have give and take between differences. To end our bitter and ugly history, we need to start a genuine democratic approach which is dialogue between the government and all opposition groups including NLD and all ethnics. We don’t need to lose a single life. We all want peace. We all want to live our life without worrying anything about military’s aggression. When we still heard about rapes and killings in the hands of Burmese soldiers, we feel so angry at Myanmar military. If it keeps going, we all will hate Thein Sein government.
Myanmar have arm ethnic group border India, china, Thailand.only Bangladesh border is free of arm group fully control the border by Myanmar government and exercise the power 100 percent.this border is 95 percent populated by rohingya ethnic, given up arm struggle before 1970 for peace , prosperity in border region.since then everything is taken confiscated by government, nationality of rohingya ethnic,wealth, property, health, education opportunity and make arakan open prison for rohingya.rohingya originated from arakan thousand years ago with colorful history record.after independent from britain two million rohingya expel from arakan, remaining one million rohingya in arakan are helpless, with no formal education zero benefit from state became like dry wood.president thein sein call rohingya as illegal immigrant, how shameless he is’.my brother kachin, shan, chin, karen arm group you all to take good lesson from rohingya ethnic, who are victimized.if you are weak,like rohingya later government of Myanmar will tell the world chin are come from India,kachin , shan , karen are come from china and Thailand illegally entered Myanmar and they are illegal immigrant, camp them under UNHCR deport them third country same exactly they told UN for rohingya.my brother kachin be strong to defend ,your self. god bless you.