Kachin Alliance

About

An organization founded by the Kachin community in America to advocate for the rights of Kachin ethnic minorities

Mission

Our mission is to promote justice, equality and peace for Kachin ethnic minorities.

Description

What Do We Do

We organize awareness campaigns and conduct presentations, speaking engagements and other activities to educate the general public, local and international organizations in the US about human rights conditions of the Kachin ethnic minorities especially those in Burma.

We gather data and present reports on human rights violations and on-going atrocities against the Kachin ethnic minorities in order to draw global attention and responsiveness to on-going crisis and emerging issues concerning the Kachin ethnic minorities.

We coordinate relief efforts and raise fund for Kachin refugees around the world and internally displaced individuals in Burma. 

Basic Info

Started	July 1, 2013

Contact Info

Email	contact@kachinalliance.org
Website	http://www.kachinalliance.org Face book: Click on Facebook

Army Lost 2 Helicopters, Suffered Heavy Personnel Losses in Past Kachin Offensive: Report

Kachin Clashes Kill 5000 Tatmadaw Soldiers

U THEIN SEIN GOVERNMENT VIOLATED THE LAWS ASSOCIATED WITH KIA

On the 28 January, the government owned newspaper released the news that a civilian died and three motor cycles were destroyed from the bomb blast committed by the KIA. One of the civilians exposed that the news was fabricated with false evidence. Therefore, on January 31 st, the government owned newspaper had to release an apology paper. 

“There can be mistakes but there can be two types of mistakes. These are accidental or intentional mistakes. It can be an intentional mistake since it is related to the country. The most responsible person for this mistake is the editor”, the experienced writer, U Hpo Thaw Kya said which was released in the Mizzima news on the 31 st January, 2013. In reality, the editor is second most responsible person. In this case, Thein Sein Government is the most responsible because they made this mistake intentionally.  

It is well known in the whole country including the world that Thein Sein government invaded massively the KIO control area around Lai Za, which is the KIA Head Quarter. As the experienced journalist, U Hpo Thaw Kya pointed out, it is obvious that the government intentionally makes this mistake in relation to  the national affair and the KIA.

The picture of the dead person and the motor cycle incidence are not matched together.  It is obvious that the picture of the dead person is taken from one place and the pictures of the motorcycles  incidence were taken from another source and combined them together. This fabrication of fake news clearly shows that the government intentionally wants to destroy the dignity of Kachin Independent Army (KIA). Not only did the Thein Sein Government army violate the laws themselves, the government also fabricated the news so that the public will have the bad impression on the KIA. The government is violating article (499) for defamation.

“Whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations,  makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having  reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said, except in the  cases hereinafter expected, to defame that person.”

This fabrication of fake news by the Thein Sein Government not only affects the peace building process and ethnic unity in the country but also the reputation of KIA.

For detail information, please contact 

U Am Naw Mein (Lawyer), (95) (0) 947 60 66 86

Date: 31st January 2013 

Original article from Legal Aid Network by U Am Naw Mein (Lawyer)

Translated by Kachin Women’s Association Thailand 

The colonial war against the Kachins is a win-win thing, that is, except for the Kachin people.

BY Maung Zarni


The sustained attack on the KIA serves both the commanders' interests and those of Than Shwe Inc - as well as dev and investment crowds.

The Burmese commanders feel shit and ashamed about not being able to defeat the KIA in a month's time since the ceasefire broke down (because NPT thought it could easily overpower the KIA just like it did with the Kokang which were a Han Chinese drug-related militia which Ne Win helped set up to check the genuine Shan nationalist troops of Shan State Army in the 1960s and 1970s). It's been over a year now and the Kachins are bloody, but not vowed. Their Burma army battalions - extremely low in both number and quality - got wiped out in previous waves before they started to use air force.

The Wa are also said to have quietly supplied the Kachins their more advanced weaponry, something the Thais were concerned about re: the Karen resistance and the possibility of the Wa supplying the KNLA with the weapons. The Karens sued for peace, largely on the regime's terms.

Than Shwe Inc in NPTaw will use the militarily weakened KIA to squeeze surrender out of the Kachins, which is going to sow the seed for future resistance and this time ethnic hatred of the Burmese.

The dev agency and investors want the lucrative areas clear of any armed conflicts. The most outrageous thing is the debt cancellation as the regime commits war crimes against the Kachins. In history - certainly in my book - the Paris Club will be recorded as the financiers of Burma's new killing fields.

So, the Kachin war is all win-win except for the Kachin people. The only thing that seems to going for the Kachin Independence Organization now is that the Kachin people are solidly behind the KIA and its just resistance. The Kachins are prepared to fight on - rather than submit to Naypyidaw's vicious Bama feudal militarism.

THE PANGLONG AGREEMENT, 1947

Text of the Agreement signed at Panglong on the 12th February, 1947 by Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders, and by representatives of the Executive Council of the Governor of Burma

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A conference having been held at Panglong, attended by certain Members of the Executive Council of the Governor of Burma, all Saohpas and representatives of the Shan States, the Kachin Hills and the Chin Hills, the members of the conference, believing that freedom will be more speedily achieved by the Shans, the Kachins and the Chins by their immediate co-operation with the Interim Burmese Government, have accordingly, and without dissentients, agreed as follows:

(I) A representative of the Hill peoples, selected by the Governor on the recommendation of representatives of the Supreme Council of the United Hill Peoples, shall be appointed a Counsellor to the Governor to deal with the Frontier Areas.

(II) The said Counsellor shall also be appointed a member of the Governor's Executive Council without portfolio, and the subject of Frontier Areas brought within the purview of the Executive Council by constitutional convention as in the case of Defence and External Affairs. The Counsellor for Frontier Areas shall be given executive authority by similar means.

(III) The said Counsellor shall be assisted by two Deputy Counsellors representing races of which he is not a member. While the two Deputy Counsellors should deal in the first instance with the affairs of the respective areas and the Counsellor with all the remaining parts of the Frontier Areas, they should by Constitutional Convention act on the principle of joint responsibility.

(IV) While the Counsellor in his capacity of Member of the Executive Council will be the only representative of the Frontier Areas on the Council, the Deputy Counsellor(s) shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Council when subjects pertaining to the Frontier Areas are discussed.

(V) Though the Governor's Executive Council will be augmented as agreed above, it will not operate in respect of the Frontier Areas in any manner which would deprive any portion of these Areas of the autonomy which it now enjoys in internal administration. Full autonomy in internal administration for the Frontier Areas is accepted in principle.

(VI) Though the question of demarcating and establishing a separate Kachin State within a Unified Burma is one which must be relegated for decision by the Constituent Assembly, it is agreed that such a State is desirable. As first step towards this end, the Counsellor for Frontier Areas and the Deputy Counsellors shall be consulted in the administration of such areas in the Myitkyina and the Bhamo District as are Part 2 Scheduled Areas under the Government of Burma Act of 1935.

(VII) Citizens of the Frontier Areas shall enjoy rights and privileges which are regarded as fundamental in democratic countries.

(VIII) The arrangements accepted in this Agreement are without prejudice to the financial autonomy now vested in the Federated Shan States.

(IX) The arrangements accepted in this Agreement are without prejudice to the financial assistance which the Kachin Hills and the Chin Hills are entitled to receive from the revenues of Burma and the Executive Council will examine with the Frontier Areas Counsellor and Deputy Counsellor(s) the feasibility of adopting for the Kachin Hills and the Chin Hills financial arrangements similar to those between Burma and the Federated Shan States.

SIGNATORIES

For the Shan Committee:
Sawbwas: Tawnpeng, Yawnghwei, North Hsenwi, Laika, Mong Pawn, Hsamonghkam
and representative of Pawnglawng.
Shan people: Tin E, Kya Bu, Sao Yapa Hpa, Htun Myint, Hkun Saw, Hkun Htee

For the Kachin Committee:
Myitkyina: Sinwa Nawng, Zau Rip, Dinra Tang
Bhamo: Zau La, Zau Lawn, Labang Grong

For the Chin Committee:
U Hlur Hmung, U Thawng Za Khup, U Kio Mang

For the Burmese Government:
Aung San

[This text is taken from pp404-405 of Hugh Tinker's Burma: The Struggle for Independence 1944-1948 (Vol. II) London, HMSO 1984]