The Kachin Post / January 07, 2010
Military authorities from Burma Army’s northern command loosen its prior restriction on Kachin Independence Army with arms to present the Manau festival which marked the 62nd anniversary of Kachin State day.
A KIA officer , who is in condition of anonymity, told The Kachin Post that KIA leaders today decided to participate the Manau festival in Myitkyina, after a request from Lt-Col Thet Pone of Burma Army northern command and Manau festival committee. KIA previously cancelled to attend the Kachin State day festival due to the restrictions of attending equipped KIA personnel at the festival.
Kachin State day is celebrated on January 10th of almost every year after Kachin Independence Organization, a political wing of KIA, and Burma Army signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. KIA and its personnel used to present Kachin State day festival with fully equipped arms and uniform, dancing amass in Manau park in Myitkyina.
Kachin observers believe that Burmese junta tries to test the water of KIA political stance on Border Guard Force proposal as well as attempts to gain public dissent against KIA by using public event.
Kachin Independence Army is the one of the largest revolutionary army in Burma. The organization wage decades-long war against the successive Burmese government until it reached ceasefire accord with Burma Army in 1994. The organization’s originally mission is to gain independence Kachin Land, the area encompassed Kachin State in Burma.
The Kachin State was established on January 10, 1948, a six days after Burma gained independence from British.
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