UNFC decries recent wave of fighting

In a statement released over the weekend the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of Burma's armed ethnic groups, expressed the group's concern regarding the recent wave of fighting that has taken place in Shan and Kachin states.

Burma army uses air strikes on KIO days after historic Naypyidaw meeting

KIO vice Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Gun Maw (left), General Secretary Dr. La Ja (middle) and Sumlut Gam, head of KIO peace delegation team, met Kachin community in Rangoon on Mar 22, 2015

On Sunday morning just days after an unprecedented meeting in Naypyidaw last week between senior representatives of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and President Thein Sein as well as the head of the armed forces Min Aung Hlaing, the Burma army launched repeated attacks on KIO positions.

700 Kachin civilians flee from home after clashes in Shan state last month

Clashes between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burma army in northern Shan State Mongkoe township last month forced more than 700 Kachin civilians to flee from their village to the Chinese border, according to a local pastor involved in the relief efforts.

Civilians destroy poppy fields in Kachin State's Hukaung valley

A poppy field in Hukaung valley, western Kachin state, northern Burma

Motivated by the ongoing drug crisis affecting Kachin state a group of concerned Kachin say they have destroyed hundreds of acres of poppy crops in the state's Hugawng valley (also Hukaung valley). The eradication campaign began on February 12th and ran until March 2nd. Poppy fields across Danai township were targeted for destruction. Poppies in Tawang, Tarung and Gangdau Yang destroyed by a group of more than 500 volunteers who came from across Kachin state, according to La Ring, an anti-drug campaigner who took part.

Burma's Armed groups and government to meet again soon

Representatives from the Burmese government's Union Peace-making Working Committee (UPWC) and their counterparts from the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) will hold a seventh round of peace negotiations later this month.

Tensions between KIO and government high after army shelling

Lah Nan (right), KIO's spokesperson

The situation in Kachin state remains tense after a recent round of shelling directed at the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)'s armed wing last week by army units stationed in the area. The army fired shells towards KIO positions more than 30 times on February 11th and 12th. The shells were fired from army posts located at Hka Ya Bum, Bum Re Bum and Hpun Pyen Bum near Laiza. According to the KIO's chief spokesperson Lah Nan the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) did not respond to the military's deliberate provocation.

KBC urges churches worldwide to pray for murdered teachers

Rev. Dr. Samson, General Secretary of Kachin Baptist Convention

The Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) has issued a call for churches worldwide to hold fasting and prayer sessions in order to bring justice in the case of the two Kachin volunteer teachers who were found raped and murdered last month in northern Shan state. The two teachers were volunteering with a KBC education program. The KBC has called for a global day of prayer to take place on February 19th.

US church group urges justice for slain Kachin teachers

Rev. Gyung Hkawng (left), Kachin Baptist Convention (ABC) President and Rev. Dr. Roy Medley, General Secretary of American Baptist Church

During a visit to the Kachin state capital Myitkyina last week a delegation from the American Baptist Churches (ABC) organization called for Burmese government authorities to properly investigate the rape and murder last month of two Kachin teachers who were volunteering in Shan state.

88 generation deliver aid to Kachin war refugees

Min Ko Naing and 88 generation student leader met Lt-Col Zau Doi in Ginsi, Hpakant jade mine, Kachin state, northern Burma

The 88 Generation Peace and Open Society delivered a donation of food and essential products to over 1,000 Kachin war refugees sheltering in Ginsi Village-Tract, Hpakant Township, Kachin State on 6th February according to 88 Generation leader Ko Mya Aye.

Kachin group opposes Aung San statue for Myitkyina

Aung San statue

The Kachin National Consultative Assembly (KNCA) also known as WMR has come out against the building of a statue in the Kachin state capital Myitkyina of the slain Burmese Independence hero general Aung San for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth. The group sent an official letter to the Kachin state Chief Minister detailing their opposition to the project, says Duwa Lahtaw Hkun Seng, chairman of WMR.

Villagers in Shan state say army killed and burned abducted Kachin

The bodies of burned abducted Kachin villagers were buried on Law Hkum Bum hill on Feb 1, Northern Shan state

Villagers in northern Shan allege that four charred corpses found last week in a forested area belong to local villagers who were abducted and then killed by Burma army troops stationed in the area.

Kachin in India demand justice for two murdered school teachers

Jan 30, Kachin in Indian capital New Delhi protest against rape and murder of two Kachin teachers on Jan 20 by Burmese government soldiers

Members of the exiled Kachin community and their Burmese friends living in the Indian capital New Delhi held a protest last week to demand justice in the case of the two Kachin teachers who were found raped and murdered in northern Shan state on January 20th.

KIA loses Shan post following Burma army attack

A Burmese army tank takes position in outskirt of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, northern Burma

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was forced to abandon a front line post in Shan state following a heavy offensive by government forces on January 25th, according to KIA officials.

Burma army killing of Kachin teachers a war crime says ethnic armed alliance

Khun Okker, general secretary-1 of UNFC, the 12-ethnic armed alliance of Burma

Burma's largest armed ethnic alliance, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) criticized the government for its handling of an investigation into the rape and murder of two Kachin volunteer school teachers in northern Shan State. According to the UNFC, the act which many believe was carried out by Burma army personnel, was a war crime. The strongly worded statement released this week also called on the government to stop such war crimes from being carried out in future.

Burma army sends reinforcements to Kachin state's Hpakant

The KIA-constructed Uru Hka River bridge in Hpakant, the Kachin jade-rich town in northern Burma

A large number of Burma army troop reinforcements arrived in Kachin state's jade rich Hpakant township over the past week, the Kachinnews has learned, this following the heavy fighting that took place there last week between government forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

Slain Kachin teachers deserve justice says 88' student leader

Mya Aye

Former political prisoner and famous '88 generation Student Leader Mya Aye says that there must be justice for the two slain teachers who were raped and killed in northern Shan state earlier this month. The alleged perpetrators are believed to be Burmese soldiers stationed in the area. The case has drawn widespread attention across Burma and around the world.

Clashes between KIO and Burma army continue after police released

Clashes between the Kachin Independence Organization's (KIO) armed wing and the Burmese military continued in Kachin state this week, even after the KIO handed over three police officers who had been detained near Hpakant.

National Ceasefire unlikely by UNION Day, say NCCT reps

Representative members of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), a group that includes most of Burma's armed rebel groups, say that is very unlikely that a nationwide ceasefire agreement could be reach by Union Day on February 12th

Alleged army rape and murder of 2 Kachin teachers fuels anger

Outraged villagers gather in northern Shan state in response to the alleged rape and murder of 2 Kachin teachers by the army.  (Photo courtesy anonymous)

Extremely graphic photos of the bloodied and naked bodies of two Kachin volunteer teachers, who were allegedly raped and murdered by the army in northern Shan state, have circulated widely among the Kachin community over the past 24 hours.

Burma army blocks access to trapped villagers in Kachin state's Hpakant

Burma army's LID 66 soldiers (left) and KIA battalion 6 soldiers in Hpakant, western Kachin state, northern Burma

Burma army forces blocked a delegation of church leaders and prominent businessmen from visiting villagers trapped by the fighting in Kachin state's jade rich Hpakant district, a member of the delegation tells the Kachinnews. Lamai Gum Ja, a member of the Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG), a committee comprised of prominent Kachin businessmen who are assisting the peace process told Kachinnews that his group wanted to meet the villagers as they are worried about the villagers well being.