Kachin civilian allegedly killed by Burma army in Shan state

Last Sunday Burma army troops taking part in a military operation in the Pangsai (Kyukok) area of northern Shan state allegedly killed Sumlut La Gun, a local Kachin civilian, according to local residents of the area.

RFA Kachin Language TV Program, 2013 July 4th Week

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Kachin IDP turned political prisoner Brang Shawng freed in amnesty

Brang Shawng and his wife are held by U Aung Min.

Lahtaw Brang Shawng, a Kachin farmer turned refugee was among 73 political prisoners freed yesterday as part of a presidential amnesty. Brang Shawng was arrested in June of last year at a Myitkyina internally displaced persons camp after being accused of being part of a Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) plot against the government.

Opening ceremony of KIO Myitkyina office

KIO Sumlut Gam (left) and government peace negotiator U Aung Min

This morning the ceremony of Technical Advisory Team office of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) was officially held in Myitkyina the capital of Kachin state.  photo-news/photo-gallery/category/14-technical-team-office.html]See more KNG photos.

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UN's Kachin relief program in funding crisis

Thousands of Kachin refugees living along the China border including this family pictured here in November 2011 remain without adequate food supplies because of government restrictions and a shortage of funding.  Photo: Kachin News Group

A spokesperson for United Nation's (UN) General Secretary Ban Ki-moon characterized the UN's humanitarian relief programs in Kachin state as experiencing a “serious funding shortfall”, the Democratic Voice of Burma reported on Monday. According to the UN's Eri Kaneko only $14.6 million of the $50.9 million the UN estimates that it needs for its Kachin relief program has been provided by donor countries so far (See here http://www.dvb.no/news/un-faces-%E2%80%98serious-funding-shortfall%E2%80%99-for-kachin-humanitarian-relief/30415]http://www.dvb.no/news/un-faces-%E2%80%98serious-funding-shortfall%E2%80%99-for-kachin-humanitarian-relief/30415 ).

Burma army and KIA clash in Northern Shan state near pipeline route

Loikang, the KIA 4th Brigade HQ in northern Shan state.

A 30 minute battle broke out on July 18th between a column of Burma army troops and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) forces in northern Shan state, according to a senior KIA official based in the area.

RFA Kachin Language TV Program, 2013 July 3rd Week

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Burmese police arrest Kachin activist Bawk Ja

Kachin land rights activist Bawk Ja was arrested on Thursday for reasons that remain unclear.  Credit Edward Chung Ho (November 2012)

Bawk Ja (also spelt Bauk Gyar and Bauk Ja), a well-known Kachin land rights activist was arrested Thursday night, in southern Kachin state according to a family friend.

Burma army encourages gold mining in Kachin villages abandoned by conflict

One of several gold mines in Mali Yang village which is actively run by Burma Army.  Photo: Kachin News Group

Burma army troops stationed on the front line in Kachin state have actively encouraged gold mining to take root in villages whose residents have fled due to fighting, the Kachin News Group has learned.

Ex-KIO leader Dr. Tu Ja endorses Kachin Technical Team

Dr. Tu Ja, former Vice-president No. 2 of KIO.

In an interview conducted yesterday, Dr. Tu Ja, a former senior member of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) told the Kachin News Group that he welcomes and fully endorses the KIO's creation of a Technical Team (Machyoi Hpaji Rapdaw in Kachin) which will be based in the Kachin state capital Myitkyina, as part of the KIO's recent 5-point agreement with the government.

Kachin in London protest Thein Sein visit as UK restores military cooperation

Many Kachin activists were among the large crowd of protesters picketing Thein Sein's meeting with David Cameron at the Prime Ministers official residence located at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday.  Many Kachin hold Thein Sein to be personally responsible for the military's human rights abuses in Kachin state over the past two years during the military's Kachin offensive.   Photo: Kachin National Organization

Kachin activists in London on Monday protested Burmese President Thein Sein's current state visit to the UK. A large group of Kachin protesters gathered in front of the British Prime Ministers official residence at 10 Downing Street as Thein Sein met his British counterpart David Cameron for talks.

Burma’s pro-government Kachin militia leader grabs land for gold mining

Pro-government militia leader Padip Gam Awng wearing a Burmese military uniform in this undated photo. Padip Gam Awng is according to his critics behind the recent seizure of large amounts of farm land in Kachin state for toxic gold mining.

Padip Gam Awng (also Padip Gam Aung), the second highest ranking member of a Burmese government backed Kachin militia is behind the recent expropriation of large tracts of land in Kachin state from local farmers in order to carry out lucrative gold mining operations, the Kachin News Group has learned.

Church groups deliver medicine to refugee camps along China border

On July 8, Kachin Baptist and Roman Catholic church groups visited an IDP camp around Laiza, the civilian capital of KIO in eastern Kachin state.

LAIZA, BURMA— Baptist and Roman Catholic church groups in Kachin state's Bhamo township joined together to send malaria and diarrhea drugs to internally displaced people's camps located on the China-Kachin border earlier this week.

Despite Myitsone dam suspension displaced villagers barred from returning

Photo of house at the Aung Myin Thar "model camp" built by CPI.  Photo: MRJ

A report released last month by the Kachin human rights group Mungchying Rawt Jat (MRJ) reveals that more than 26,000 people relocated between 2010 and 2012 to make way for the Myitsone dam project have been prevented from leaving the Aung Myin Thar and Maliyang relocation camps to return to their villages. This despite a September 2011 Presidential decree officially suspending the widely unpopular dam.

KIO technical advisory team arrives Myitkyina

Gawlu La Awng, the KIO's Deputy Foreign Affair Department.

The Kachin Independence Organization's (KIO) technical advisory team arrived in Myitkyina the Kachin state capital this week, in accordance with a 7 point agreement signed between the KIO and the government last May. Despite the recent agreement, the KIO remains Burma's only significant armed ethnic group not to have signed a ceasefire with the central government.