By Zin Linn Jun 24, 2013 12:49AM UTC
Asiancorrespondent.com
Ethnic minorities,
including the Kachin people, have suffered decades of ruthless military
offensives in the name of state security. Attacks on these rural civilians
continue on a regular basis. There is a constant demand from Burma’s ethnic
groups to allow them equal political, social and economic rights. They desire
legitimate promise for the right of self-rule including equal representation
for every ethnic group in the Parliament. Besides, they also demand to include
provisions against racial discrimination in the constitution.
Government of Burma or
Myanmar and the European Union agree that there is now an historic opportunity
to secure lasting peace in Burma and for bringing prosperity to ethnic areas
after decades of conflict. The Myanmar Peace Center will work towards this
goal. MPC has to build confidence and it will carry on establishing the respect
for political and human rights, the European Commission said in a November 2012
statement.
The central committee of
Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) released a public statement on June 12,
2013 reiterate the seven-point agreement signed between KIO and Burmese
government delegation at Myitkyina’s Ma-nau compound on May 30.
Peacemaking team of Government of Burma and
delegates of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) signed a preparatory
agreement on 30 May 31, 2013 (Thursday) in Myitkyina, the capital of the Kachin
state, inside Burma.(Photo credit: Min Zaw Oo’s Face Book)
The KIO’s statement said
the seven-point agreement was signed hoping that it would lead towards
sustainable political conclusion and long-standing peace. KIO again said in the
statement that political discussions will halt long running civil-war and equal
rights will guarantee all ethnic nationalities in Burma to live in peace and
harmony,
In the meantime, the Burmese
army has been reinforcing more troops in the Kachin region despite the fact
that the two sides agree preparing to trim down the military strength. Fighting
continued in Kachin and northern Shan State as Burmese army further encroached
into territories controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its
allies, according to the Kachinland
News.
Despite both sides agreed
to decrease military tension in the last 30-May meeting, battles continue in
northern Shan State between the KIA and Burmese Government Army. A battle took
place between Kachin people militia (MHH) troops from section 2 of KIA’s 36th
Battalion and Burmese army’s 128th Light Infantry Regiment at Hu-Bang bridge located
between Loi-Sa
and Ying-Seng
village in northern Shan State on June 18 and no casualties have been reported
from both sides.
According to the Kachinland News, Burmese
army troops reportedly arrested and took two Wing-Seng
villagers to the battle frontline. Maran
Yaw, a 23-year-old villager, of Wing-Seng village and Zahkung Lum Awng, a father of 6
children, have been taken to serve as porters on June 14. Zahkung Lum Awng was shot
from the back by a Burmese army soldier during the battle between KIA and
Burmese army troops at Hu-Bang Bridge on June 18, said a local villager. He
said the government soldiers buried the body of Zahkung Lum Awng and offered 200,000 kyats to
his family.
According to the Kachin
ews Group, more than 100 villagers fled their homes in northern Shan state
following heavy clashes between Burma army forces and the Kachin Independence
Army (KIA), referring local residents. The displaced Kachin that sought refuge
near Loi-Hem
last week are from Loi-Lawm,
Ka-Li, Loi-Hem and Nam-Gut
in the Mong-koe
area of Mu-se
Township.
Government troops
allegedly executed Kachin civilian Zahkung
Lum Awng from Nong-Hem
village, according to a friend of the victim’s family. Sources say that before
being killed on June 14 he was forced to work as a guide by troops in the area.
A Kachin soldier mans a frontline position
near the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization, in Laiza, Burma.
Pic: AP.
Kachin villagers in Mongkoe region report that
government forces operating in the area are considering all civilians as their
enemies because the region is under KIA 4th Brigade’s control. KIA
civilian militia Mungshawa
Hpyen Hpung also joins operations in the area. The latest fighting
in northern Shan state occurred brusquely after KIO leaders and government
peacemaking representatives met in the Kachin state capital agreeing to take
steps to reduce tensions.
As both sides had agreed
on paper to set up a ‘Joint
Monitoring Committee’ to trim down military tension,
discussions on the safety return and resettlement of Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) and refugees would continue as a main concern in the imminent
talks, said the statement. Yet, the agreement appeared to be an introductory
step toward a ceasefire rather than a breakthrough. The KIO maintains on a
political solution, not just a ceasefire.
Although the two sides
have to keep on talking about the outposts in conflict zones, the government
armed forces do not stop deploying along the conflict areas in Kachin’s
territories. Therefore, it seems taking much time to reach an accord of ending
this interminable war. The political scenario looks like genuine peace may not
be installed simply in the war-torn Kachin State within President Thein Sein’s
term.
In keeping with the
reliable frontline reports, the conflict against KIA was started by the Burmese
government and the KIO has to use their own right to defend their native land.
In the view of Kachin people, their land has been forcefully occupied by the
Burmese government.
The Burmese government has
exploited natural resources in Kachin State by using its armed forces. The Tarpein Hydro-power
Project is being constructed by China to facilitate its power needs. In return,
China protects the Burmese government, which has very bad human rights records,
by using its veto power in the UN Security Council.
However the KIA is opposed
to the dam projects in the Kachin state, saying the dams will be
environmentally and socially destructive. In fact, armed conflicts between the
Burma armed forces and KIA has widened since the ethnic armed group refused to
accept the junta’s new constitution which says Burma Army is the only military
institution in the country.
Several ethnic armed
groups including the KIA have already decided to defend their basic rights by
holding their guns. If the incumbent President Thein Sein government fails to
solve this delicate political question by means of political dialogue, civil
war may not be avoided.
Unless the government
resolved the root cause of the ethnic war in Kachin state, both positive
political change and economic reforms would likely to go downhill.
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