Kachin news ( Northern Burma on Alert )

Burma government army battalion ka-ma-ya(309) has formed into two infantry and maneuver to Kachin State on 28 November 2011 at 530pm Burma time for to continue major offensive operation against KIA and Kachin people. One of infantry led by Majoi Aung Myat Soe was stationing around west south four miles from Myo Han village and General Than Myint Tun infantry was station in one mile away from Mang Tang village.

On 28 November 2011 at 520pm Myanmar time 2ac Majoi Zaw Win Tun Burma army battalion kha-la-ya 141 soldiers arriving in Nam Chyang river which is 92 mile from KIA Battalion Division 5 Prang Hkawn village.

On the same day at 1130am Burma army battalion division hka-ma-ya (317) with 15 trucks loaded with additional soldiers, arms and supplies delivering to near KIA Battalion division 3 Sin Lum village and they have returned back to Nmawk division at 730pm. On the same day at about 330pm Burma soldiers over 300 are maneuvering around KIA division 3 Man Wing town. In Kai Htik village Burma army soldiers 300 have been surrounded and under attack by KIA light infantry 1 soldiers.

Burma regime government is talking and acting to draw attention international community attention only not real intention of national reconciliation reform. Instead Burma army continue fierce attack against KIA and Kachin ethnic and as well as other minorities in Burma.

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On 28 November 2011 Burma army soldiers about 300 with 20 trucks loaded with arms and suppliers heading to KIA Battalion 11 Mali Sut Yang. No one know these soldiers are from any of which Burma army division or battalion. However these same soliders will going over to across the Irrawaddy according to the eye witness reported.

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There was deadly clash between KIA light infantry 27 and Burma army hka-ma-ya battalion soldiers on 28 November at 1230 noon in Balawng Dingsa village.

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On 28 November 2011, there was bomb explosión at 9am Burma time near bridge No. la-ha (488823) Sin Lum village, Kachin State and two Burma soldiers have killed instantly at the scene.

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On 27 November 2011 there was deadly arms clash between KIA battalion infantry 36 under KIA division 4 Shan State with Burma army at 230pm. The number of casualties unknown from both side.

Thousands of Kachin Villagers Displaced in Kachin State

Video

Thousands of Kachin Villagers Displaced in Kachin State

Yellow rain again in Burma’s Myitkyina

[IMG]/images/stories/Place/yellow_rain_twice.jpg[/IMG]
On Nov.26, a yellow spot was remained on a tree leaf in KBC compound in South Shanzu quarter in Myitkyina.
Yellow rain continues to besiege Myitkyina, the capital of Burma’s northern Kachin State. It fell again on November 26 in a paste like form, said eye witnesses.


Eyewitnesses told Kachin News Group on Monday that many yellow spots were seen early in the morning at the entrance to doors and open spaces of the Kachin Baptist Convention office and Gies Memorial Town Baptist Church in South Shanzu Quarter in Myitkyina. The unusual rain left yellow stains on tree leaves in the Kachin Baptist Convention office compound.

The yellow rain has given rise to fear among residents downtown because it could be a fallout of the chemical or poison gas being used by the Burmese Army against the Kachin Independence Army, said residents.

So far, the Burmese government has remained silent on the yellow rain though people are increasingly concerned about the effects of this unidentified yellow rain, according to residents.

Similar rain was witnessed in Mai Ja Yang town under the control of the Kachin Independence Organization in Manmaw (Bhamo) district for four successive days from November 20 to 23.

Ever since the KIO authorities have banned people from drinking water from some reservoirs and eating vegetables from the town, said residents.

The scientific data on the cause of the yellow rain and its effect have not been identified yet by the KIO, said KIO authorities in Mai Ja Yang.

A KIA weapon’s experts said the yellow rain is a fallout of the use of chemical weapons by the Burmese Army in the current offensive against Kachin Independence Army in eastern Kachin State.

CRIMES IN NORTHERN BURMA: RESULTS FROM A FACT-FINDING MISSION TO KACHIN STATE

POTENTIAL WAR CRIMES EXPOSED IN DETAIL IN NEW REPORT TITLED,

By: http://partnersworld.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=180

28 November 2011, Bangkok, Thailand - Burma’s army is committing serious human rights violations against ethnic communities in Kachin State that may amount to war crimes, according to a new report released today by the Norway-based non-governmental organization Partners Relief & Development (Partners).

The 59-page report documents first-hand testimony and frontline photographs of the increasingly brutal civil war in Burma’s Kachin State, which broke out on June 9 between the Burma army and the Kachin Independence Army, ending a 17-year-long ceasefire agreement. Partners has traveled to the conflict zone several times since June and documented torture, extrajudicial killing, open fire on civilians, human shielding, unlawful arrest and detention, forced labor, forced relocation, displacement, property theft and property destruction by the Burma army. An estimated 30,000 civilians have fled the conflict and abuses by the Burma army since the war began in June.

The report comes as the new semi-civilian government of Burma touts political and legal reforms; and as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepares to visit the country, the first visit by a US Secretary of State since 1955. According to Partners co-founder and international advocacy director Oddny Gumaer, “While the political situation in lowland Burma is being interpreted as a major breakthrough, the situation for millions in the ethic areas is worse than it’s been in two decades.” The principle author of the report, Bryan Erikson, adds, “Our findings reveal civilians to be living in extreme physical duress as a direct result of an attack perpetrated by the Burma Army in October 2011.” Gumaer echoes the activist community stating, “The Burma army needs to immediately cease attacks on ethnic civilians in Kachin State.”

The new report displays graphic images of killings perpetrated by Burma army battalions 74 and 276, as well as wanton property destruction, all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, according to Partners. A Kachin woman, whose 8-year old son was killed on 8 October by the Burma army, is quoted in the report.

“I saw my son face down and there was a lot of blood. He was bleeding from the right side of his chest and from his left hand. I picked up his dead body and took it back to my house. I took his clothes off that night and washed him and washed his clothes. I put clean clothes on him and went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, two Burmese soldiers were inside my house taking my belongings and placing them in bags. They were breaking all the things they didn’t want.”

Partners is calling on the international community to support a UN-mandated Commission of Inquiry into international crimes in Burma, and for donors and UN agencies to call for immediate access to populations affected by the war. “Secretary Clinton should prioritize discussion of these abuses with all levels of Burma’s government and let them know the world is watching, and we’re shocked” says Gumaer.

Partners Relief & Development is a registered charity in six countries. The work of Partners has provided emergency relief and sustainable development for tens of thousands of displaced people in Burma since 1994. Partners actively investigates, documents and reports human rights violations for the purposes of advocacy and awareness. Partners seeks free, full lives for the children of Burma and reconciled communities living in peace.

For additional information or photographs please contact: humanrights@partnersworld.org

REPORT Download the report (4.7mb PDF)

PRESS PHOTOS Download the press photos (47.8mb ZIP)

Hundreds die in obscure war on Burma's border with China Read more: http://www.theweek.co.uk/world-news/42982/hundreds-die-obscure-war-burmas-border-

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Kachin rebel army uses guerilla tactics it employed to help the British beat the Japanese in WW2

BY Edward Loxton LAST UPDATED AT 07:27 ON Fri 25 Nov 2011

CHIANG MAI - The skirl of bagpipes drifts over the highlands of Burma's northern Kachin State as the country's most feared rebel army drills in preparation for action against demoralised government forces. This is one of Asia's forgotten wars - and it's going on right now.

Hundreds of Kachin soldiers and Burmese army regulars have reportedly died and 30,000 Kachin villagers have fled to makeshift refugee camps on the Chinese border since a 17-year ceasefire between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Burma's new government broke down in June.

"There's a full-scale war going on over there," said Swedish journalist and author Bertil Lintner, an authority on Burma and its ethnic minorities, visiting Chiang Mai after touring the mountainous Chinese region bordering Burma's Kachin State.

Communications with Burma's northernmost state are difficult at the best of times. But human rights organisations say they are receiving credible reports of widespread brutality by government forces frustrated by a well trained Kachin army employing guerrilla tactics they learned in World War Two when they helped the Allies chase the Japanese Imperial Army out of Burma.

Frustrated by the KIA's hit-and-run tactics, the Burmese government regulars are reportedly responding with search-and-destroy raids on Kachin villages. Human Rights Watch says it has well documented reports of government troops looting and destroying villages, stealing livestock and raping local women.

By contrast, the 10,000 KIA troops — 800 of them women — are independently described as well trained and disciplined, modeling themselves on their forefathers who fought alongside Britain and the Allies in two world wars.

Hence the bagpipes on parade ground drill. Kachin soldiers first learnt to play the pipes when serving in Gurkha units fighting alongside British troops in the Great War — most of them in Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq.

The wailing bagpipes are not the only reminder of the Kachin contribution to allied victories in two world wars.

The highly disciplined KIA troops wear British army style khaki or crisp white dress uniforms, some of the soldiers sporting medals won by grandparents in what villagers still call "our days of honour".

Like the Karen and other ethnic peoples in Burma's border regions, the Kachin were handed a raw deal when Burma achieved independence from Britain in 1948. The high degree of autonomy they had been promised at the pre-independence Panglong Conference was eroded by successive military governments, beginning with Ne Win's repressive regime, which seized power in 1962.

Kachin units joined the Karen in armed rebellion, but were beaten into submission while the world looked on. The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), the political body behind the KIA, signed a ceasefire agreement with the military regime in 1994, but tension increased as the junta pressured ethnic armies to join a new "border guard force" under Burma Army command.

In June this year, the 1994 ceasefire broke down and hostilities flared throughout Kachin State, reaching a devastating scale in recent weeks.

Both the British and the Americans made use of Kachin talent against the Japanese in WW2. The British formed a guerrilla force known as the Kachin Levies. American forces under the controversial General Joseph Stilwell ("Vinegar Joe") set up a similar group of fighters named Detachment 101.

The Kachin were fierce and courageous fighters and their hit-and-run tactics in the remote highland territory they knew so well took a heavy Japanese toll.

The Burmese army would do well to remember one of Stilwell's accounts of working with the Kachin. One day, he questioned a Kachin commander's casualty report, which listed the number of dead Japanese soldiers as an impressive 5,428.

Stilwell asked the Kachin officer how he reached such a precise number. The Kachin produced a bamboo container and emptied on the US commander's desk a pile of human ears. "Divide by two!" he said. ·

Read more: http://www.theweek.co.uk/world-news/42982/hundreds-die-obscure-war-burmas-border-china#ixzz1f4HaIhq7

More reported chemical weapon use in areas of Kachin State with high density of civilians and IDP's

Dear All,::Last night we received a renewed appeal from our local partner in an

indigenous NGO on the Kachin border in which she says the following:

" The “Yellow Rain” continuing in many places again. Last night nearby MJY at Prang Ngawn village “yellow and white rain” drop again last midnight.
Last night around 11 Pm one villager hears the plane noise and looked at the sky and saw the plane flied over Prang Ngawn village. After 10 later she hears sound and drops the liquid. This morning all the leaves from
vegetable farm have yellow drop and the hole on leaves. The leaves where the white liquid drop areas have a hole and burnt the comer. Please see the photos.

All the area of Eastern Bamaw where the fighting has use Chemical weapon.The air come from that area and now many places have drop “Yellow rain”.All the MJY people using the water from the pipe and it are from the water shear. Now many water shear have might polluted the yellow sport.

Can you please find out the immediately impact for this toxin and how can
we protect?"

The attached map and photos were sent along with this message.

It is agreed that the information, although now mentioned by an increasing number of sources remains unproven and circumstantial, and it is a
challenge to verify.

To date no country, major international media group or other official organisation appears to have taken up the implicit responsibility to check,

confirm or report on this important issue.

I think it should be a priority to press the UK and US governments to make strong efforts to verify this, as without the credibility of government backed analysis it will remain in the "alleged" and "unsubstantiated" box and will be given no importance.

Over the years there have been many assertions of chemical weapon use,including testimonies from deserting soldiers who claimed to have had to carry ammunition for them. None have been given credence by organisations such as the one cited here;

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/myanmar/index.html

*Biological Weapons*

Upon independence in 1948, Myanmar became a party to the 1925 Geneva
Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous
or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare. It has also
signed the 1972 Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxic Weapons Convention.
Despite numerous claims made since 1993 by ethnic minorities and insurgent
groups to the effect that the Tatmadaw has used Biological Weapons (BW)
against them, BW use by Myanmar has never been confirmed.

*Chemical Weapons*

In addition to being a party to the 1925 Geneva Protocol, Myanmar signed
the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993. Despite this, there have been
repeated claims of Chemical Weapons (CW) use by the Tatmadaw dating back to
the early 1980s, when a clandestine chemical weapons plant was apparently
built by the Ne Win regime. These reports, however, have yet to be
confirmed.

Myanmar (Burma) is thought to have produced chemical weapons. Its program,
under development in 1983, may or may not be active today. U.S.
intelligence officials told Congress in 1988 and 1991 that Burma was
developing or had developed chemical weapons. According to the 1992 Defense
Intelligence Agency survey produced for the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence, Burma has "chemical weapons and artillery for delivering
chemical agents." On the other hand, the 1993 edition of the DIA report
indicates that Burma is no longer developing chemical weapons. The current
status of the chemical weapons program in Myanmar is unknown, though it is
believed the country still holds a stockpile. Myanmar has signed the CWC
treaty but has yet to ratify it.

It is past time that the use or otherwise of these weapons was clearly
proven.

Unfortunately with the current rapprochement efforts it seems unlikely that
either government would wish to risk the embarrassment of admitting that
the acceptance of the Thein Sein government's sincerity may have been
premature. Nevertheless it should be pressed for.

China's denial of refuge to civilians fleeing this conflict which was at
least in part sparked by energy development projects carried out without
consent of affected communities also needs to be accounted for. With areas
immediately adjacent to the Chinese border being affected by the "yellow
rain" it is highly likely that it is also falling on Chinese soil, possibly
affecting Chinese citizens and wildlife as well.

It is certainly time that the current intense conflict in Kachin State, its
consequences for large numbers of innocent civilians, and both the apparent
and the deeper reasons for the resumption of war in this exceptionally
resource rich area were closely examined and brought to light.

Hillary Clinton's Yangon arrival on November 30 and the military-junta's hurried plans against the KIO Laiza, November 24, 2011

With the arrival of US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Yangon November 30, President Thein Sein's military commanders are apparently under orders to do something meaningful quickly against the the KIO. The quick victory the Tatmadaw had initially expected is turning out to be more elusive than scheduled. The US had let it be known meanwhile, that any talk of sanction reduction will not occur until war with ethnic nationalities has completely ceased. Meanwhile, President Thein Sein's reform talk has provided the US a cosy corner to occupy in his quarters; yes, the US will support the reform agenda and even help to push it.

Recently, U Aung Min, a Thein Sein minister, met with representatives of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), including the KIO, the proponents of federalism according to Panglong plans, and assured that he came as a minister of Thein Sein's government, not as a hluttaw delegate, a careful distinction intended to assert that the reform agenda is in the hands of Thein Sein faction. He meticulously enunciated that all political power in the Union is in President Thein Sein's hands, including the military. Thus, it seems likely that the rushed agenda against the KIO originated in the President's very own office.

So why this war agenda against the Kachins? There are two obvious reasons. First, Thein Sein cannot survive at this time without the support of the Tatmadaw, and the government based on the military owes big-time debt to China. Second, among China's agenda items is a highway to India through Kachin State. And China, realizing the implications of increasing US presence in Burma's national politics, feels the time to pursue its agenda may soon be in jeopardy.

Hence, there is the pervasive feeling today in Kachinland that the Tatmadaw will try to make major moves against the Kachins, and this means attack on Laiza itself. The predictable outcome will be the decentralization of Kachin armed resistance into the jungles, and as well, into the Kachin population of Yunnan and Tibetan borderlands. Is this what China and Thein Sein really want?

It is critical for the US to let Thein Sein know that any action on his part that has exacerbating consequence in the region will have impact on Secretary Clinton's plans. Meanwhile, Kachins domiciled all over the world may be on the verge on commencing on a massive hungry strike.


SK for OKA News

Kachin news today( Northern Burma on Alert )

Myanmar government is continue to send 1000 troop to Kachin State Manmaw and Myitkyina to continue civil war against Kachin people and other minority. There will soon be gravely civil war offensive by Myanmar government army against KIA. However Kachin civilian will be the victim of the deadly war game started by Myanmar government. The people are fear of Myanmar government army force villager as porter for human shield in front line areas as usual. Not only human shield but also people fear of army gang rape, looting, burning houses in village and killing innocent people. Especially in Bahmo town and Waimaw town area have increase more government troop arriving daily.

Myanmar Government may have plan to renew another round of deadly civil war against KIA and Kachin people soon as they have build up more ground troops and weapons. Recently Myanmar government army have used chemical bomb shells against KIA violate against international convention. We Kachin people appeal UN security Council and international community to protect civilian in war torn areas of Kachin State. Those who committed deadly crime against civilian bring to international law of court for justice and punish them severely. Myanmar government has oppress Kachin and other ethnic groups since 1961 since Military coup the country power after assassinated general Aung San, the father of Ms Aung Sann Su Kyi. Since then it has been continue to oppress, discrimination and restriction of religious freedom.

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Myanmar soldiers from No. 88 army arrived in Man Wing at about 3pm today 24 November 2011 by 40 army trucks. These soldiers are from Kutkai village station at Man Hkam village Shan State before arrived at Man Wing currently camp around the village. Not clear where the soldiers will be heading and but it was surely to renew major offensive operations against KIA and Kachin people. ----------------------------------------
Myanmar soldiers are continue to arrived in Namhkam Shan State today morning 24 November 2011 with 4 full loaded trucks according to report. Yesterday 23 November 2011 at 6pm 20 trucks fully loaded with Myanmar soldiers going to Namkkam via Muse and Nam Jang village was covered with Myanmar soldiers according to eyes witness report. In spite of Myanmar regime government propaganda announcement of peace talking lies report to draw international and ASEAN attention.
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According to eye witness reported that over 800 Myanmar soldiers were arrived at Myothit in the evening going through the route via Nmawk town Manmaw district on 23 November 2011. Later Theses soldiers are going to No.3 KIA control area, Laiza Kachin State. These Myanmar government soldiers are going to replace those solider in the war zone are offensive against KIA. This is to renew major operations against KIA and Myanmar government army tat-ma (44) is stationed in the KIA control area Kachin State according to report.
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Myanmar government army major offensive against KIA Kachin State is worsening, no sign of any hope of slowing down between them. There was major fighting continue between KIA and Myanmar government army on 23 November 2011 in 4 areas in KIA control areas in Kachin State. There was also fierce fighting continue the whole day in the Nang Zaw Yang village near Sampai village. However the number of casualty sill unknown from both KIA and Myanmar army side.
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Sumlut Roi Ja a mother of a young baby from Hkai Bang village still not known under Burmese soldiers from LIB (321) frontline military base at Mu Bum

Sumlut Roi Ja a mother of a young baby from Hkai Bang village, Nmau Township was called away by the 6 Burmese soldiers, military unit under LIB (321) frontline military base at Mu Bum hill. It has almost been 25 days until November 18 from which the day on there’s no information about her.She was taken away together with her husband Maru Dau Lum and her father-in-law Maru Ze Dau of 70 years old man in between 3:00PM and 4:00PM local times. They were forced to carry loads of rations for the soldiers. Both of her husband and the old man ran away left her behind with no other choice. The escapade were fired at incessantly but narrowly escaped from the gun shot. But Sumlut Roi Ja was suspected to be taken to Mu Bum hill Burmese Military base.

By:Kachinnet.org

When her family members and Kachin Woman Association (KWA) officially tried to enquired to the Kachin state government for her release. The General Staff Officer (G-1) from Burmese military responded no any such woman involved under their custody. Sources according to the villagers.

Most of the sources close by insisted that she was often seen many times inside the military base wearing the same red cheque color clothes she wore at the time when she was first arrested. She was even seen until October 29-30 guessed by her clothes. The soldiers being teased her all the time as they like.

On October 31 she was also seen wearing the soldiers’ uniform other than her casual clothes. But from November 1 she was no more seen inside the military post whether she still alive or killed is still under doubt.

The other 20 Kachin youths were also taken as porters by the Burmese army of Mikthila and Northern Command Military base about 100 soldiers in Myitkyina. Only 5 youths were escaped from the captives to whom the media reporters personally interviewed to one of them. But still the victim couldn’t find strong enough to stress the incidents so terrible that it make him still dumbfounded.

Among 20 captives included also 2 young girls were all the time physically abused and assaulted by the soldiers being forced to act like a prostitute make an entertainment for one after another. Take them naked for bathing in front of the soldiers and treated them like a whore. One of the elder ones when went outside to pray for after she was being gang rapped by the soldiers was scornfully abused for her prayers. If she speak anything in defend of her right she was kicked off and punch on her face. At one time the girl spat one of the soldiers face for which she was brutally treated inhumanly.

Until now these 2 girls and 13 boys were not known any information except 5 boys escaped from the detention. On 11^th October , 9 villagers were also taken as porters by the Burmese soldiers and were only released on October 28 from the Namlim Pa village. They were always cruelly tortured and locked under a dark cell. They were forced to lick each other’s wound for the blood shed from the harshly beaten by the soldiers