Burmese troops cross Chinese border for offensive against KIA

Burmese troops are officially crossing over to China to storm the border-based Kachin Independence Army (KIA) headquarters in Laiza from Chinese territory from June 29 morning, said eyewitnesses on the border.

About 200 Burmese troops in civilian clothes entered the Chinese border trade town of Ruili (Shweli) from the Burmese trade town in Muse on Wednesday between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time, said military observers and eyewitnesses in Ruili.

Burmese troops with civilian clothes stood in line at the Muse border checkpoint for applying for the red-coloured border-crossing passports.

Chinese PM faces protests in London

United Kingdom based Kachins, others from the Burmese community and Tibetans protested during the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to London on June 27 in front of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s house, said an activist.

Prime Minister Wen Jiabao arrived in Britain on June 25 on a three-day visit to UK and has signed a billion dollar trade agreement between the two countries.

Organized by ‘Students for a Free Tibet, UK’, activists and UK-based people from the Burmese community, Kachin people and those showing solidarity demonstrated, said a participant.

Kachins, Burmese and Tibetans in UK protested during the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to London on June 27, 2011.

Kachins in Australia demand halt to war and abuse of Kachin people

Kachins in Australia on June 24 demanded a stop to the war and abuse of people in Kachin State. They also called on China to stop supporting the Burmese government, which is being backed by the notorious military regime.

About 60 Kachin people in Australia from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane participated in the demonstrations in front of the Burmese and Chinese Embassies in Canberra.

The Kachin Association Australia (KAA) has sent a letter to Burmese Embassy demanding Burmese troops halt the military offensive and to initiate peaceful negotiations, and drew the world’s attention to Kachin ethnic affairs, demanded withdrawal of Burmese troops from Kachin State and told all Kachin around the world to wish the same for the people in the Kachin homeland.

Burmese authorities organize peace prayer in Kachin State

With the civil war increasing in Northern Burma, all Christian denominations in Manmaw township, Kachin State under the aegis of the township government authorities had to hold a special prayer service for peace in the state on June 26 evening.

The church leaders had to participate in the prayer service organized by the authorities. The churches were unable to refuse the authorities who are Buddhists.

U Maung Maung Nyunt, chairman of the Manmaw (Bhamo) district organized the prayer and at least 14 Christian denominations and over 250 people including top officers from Manmaw township administrative office, Father and Head of villages attended the special prayer service at the township office.

A Kachin Baptist Church in Manmaw, Kachin State.

Kahins in America protest military offensive on KIA

Kachins in California (USA) staged a protest on June 24 against the military offensive on Kachin people by the Burmese Army.

“We have gathered to express our grave concern for our family members and friends in our homeland. They are under extreme oppression by the Burmese government,” said a statement released by Kachins in California.

The statement by the Kachins of California

Kachins in California protested against Burmese Military Junta because of on-going killings and torturing against innocent Kachin villagers.

Attached files are invitation for protest, Statement letter and Letter to Chinese Embassy.

California Kachins

Let help to Kachin Refugee

Chinese-Burmese military officers meet in Mangshi on KIA

Two high ranking military officers from China and Burma met secretly in Mangshi on June 23 night in China’s southwest Yunnan province, bordering Burma for talks on capturing Laiza, the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), said Mangshi sources.

At the meeting the Burmese Army officer asked China to permit crossing of the border by Burmese troops and its allies to attack and capture Laiza, said sources.

The meeting was joined by regional Chinese military officials and Burmese military officials from Naypyidaw and Lashio-based Northeastern Regional Command including officers from Konghka militia group, formerly known as Kachin Defense Army (KDA), said sources close to the meeting.

Laiza, the Capital of KIO/KIA near China border in eastern Kachin State, Northern Burma.

Kachin Church urges members to help refugees

The Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), the largest Kachin Christian denomination urged all its members living in urban areas to help refugees, who fled from their homes because of the civil war between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burmese Army since June 9.

“We all know our people are struggling because of the war. Those who fled the war zone lack food, clothes and healthcare and they are in dire need of support,” said a statement released by KBC on June 22 to all its member churches.

The Baptist Christian organization said they plan to visit refugees to help in the running of refugee camps.

Kachin refugees marched to the shelters in the KIO's Capital Laiza near China border

Kachins in Malaysia protest military offensive in Kachin state

Kachins in Malaysia are protesting against the military offensive launched by the Burmese Army on the Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/A). Demonstrations were held in Kuala Lumpur on June 24, Friday in front of the Myanmar Embassy office.

The protestors demanded a stop to the military offensive started on June 9 and withdrawal of military reinforcements in Kachin State, said a source who participated in the protests.

Kachin protesters demanded for stopping offensive to the KIO/KIA at in front of Burmese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on June 24

Civilians supporting KIA threatened with death

Civilians supporting the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allies in Northern Burma were threatened with death on June 21 by a Burmese battalion commander, said sources among local pro-government militia groups.

The chilling warning came from Lt-Col Soe Shwe Commander of Tamonye-based Infantry Battalion No. 290 when he met local militiamen from two groups--- Mung Hkawm and Mung Baw in Mung Hkawm village in Muse district in Northern Shan State, said participants.

A local militiaman said the Burmese commander told the meeting that civilians supporting the KIA and its militia allies with meals, ration and military information will be punished with death without any warning.

Burmese community in Indian capital New Delhi Protests against Civil War in Kachin State

Burmese community in Indian capital New Delhi Protests against Civil War in Kachin State

Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, India

June 24, 2011

Burmese community in India protests against civil war in Kachin State

Kachin people and other ethnic activists based in New Delhi, India protested at the Jantar Mantar from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today against the military offensive launched by the new Burmese government’s army on Kachin State

Organized by the Kachin Refugee Committee (KRC), New Delhi based Kachin, Burmese, Chin, Arakan and Karen refugees launched the protest against the ongoing military offensive by Burmese troops in Kachin State and the abuse of civilians by way of rape, torture, killing and porter usage.

The demonstrators demand that the international community help the refugees fleeing to the Chinese border with no NGO providing aid and support yet.

Burmese community in Indian capital New Delhi protested against U Thein Sein-led Burmese government for starting civil in Kachin State.

Three Burmese soldiers killed fighting KIA in Manje

As fighting continues unabated, three Burmese soldiers were killed on Thursday afternoon in a clash with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops in Manje (Mansi) township in Manmaw district, Burma’s northern Kachin State, said sources on the frontline.

The skirmish continued for 20 minutes, when two groups of soldiers from either side met near Sin Khan at about 2.30 p.m. local time, according to a KIA officer belonging to Battalion 12. There was no casualty on the KIA side, he added.

Eyewitnesses said they saw three bodies of Burmese Army soldiers being carried to Gawng Run village after the brief clash.

Refugee students in Laiza in a spot

Kachin refugees students, who fled to Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), headquarters in Laiza on the China border will get a chance to continue their education but are faced with a lack of materials for studying, said a teacher.

“We have enough chalk but no note books and use a few note books carefully. There is no writing material so the teachers were forced to tell the students to memorize lessons,” said a resident of Laiza.

Refugee camps in Laiza house about 412 students and 180 students in Lawa Yang School and Mai Sak Pa School are from the Burmese army controlled area.

Kachin refugees who recently arrived in KIO Laiza headquarters, eastern Kachin State.

KIA denies starting war with Burmese Army

The Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/A) has condemned the orchestrated propaganda by the Burmese government that it started the recent conflict in its state run newspaper the New Light Of Myanmar on June 18. The report alleged that the KIA started the war.

KIO’s information department said, “It is totally false propaganda published by the government saying the ‘KIA started the war.’

The statement released on June 20 by KIO said the military offensive was launched by the Burmese government willfully.

KIO/KIA Vice-president Lt-Gen Nban La Awng. Photo: Kachin News Group

War snowballs; Kachin refugees influx to China border

The civil war between the Burmese Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has forced nearly 20,000 Kachin refugees to flee to the China border fearing continuous clashes, said a doctor helping refugees.

The number of refugees has touched the figure of 13,000 in five refugee camps in Myu Lawt Wunli, Manau Wang, No. 3 Market place, Hpung Lung Yang and Nawng E Hku camp at the Laiza headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on the China border said, the doctor.

Kachin refugees, Laiza. 

New war front opened between KIA and Burmese troops in Puta-O

A new war front was opened between Burmese Army troops and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) soldiers on Wednesday afternoon, at 4:30 p.m. local time in Puta-O district in Kachin State, Northern Burma, said KIA officials.

There is heavy fighting between Burmese troops under the Puta-O Military Strategy Command-3 and KIA soldiers of Battalion 7 under Brigade 1, said a KIA officer in Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin State.

Namkoi railway bridge blown up by KIA

The railway bridge on Namkoi River between Myitkyina and Mandalay, northern Burma was blown up after Tuesday midnight by mines triggered by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), said eyewitnesses.

The bridge was located about seven miles northwest of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.

According to KIA officials in Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin State the railway bridge was targeted because it was the main communication line for transporting the Burmese Army’s military reinforcements and supplies to Kachin State.

Serial mine explosions in northern Myitkyina

Three mines exploded in quick succession on Tuesday night, in Kachin capital Myitkyina, Northern Burma. The bombs targeted buildings of the military-backed Burmese government, said residents.

Burmese Army forces civilians to ensure security of Myitkyina-Namti rail road

In a situation fraught with risks, the Burmese government has ordered residents of Myitkyina capital of Kachin State to take charge of security of the Myitkyina-Namti railway road, given the ongoing war between Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burmese Army.

Burmese soldiers rape, kill and torture Kachin residents

Local Kachin people are being raped, killed and tortured by Burmese troops, sources said.

“Burmese troops raped women and small girls and also killed small children. They took away the men for porter duty from three families, who could not escape from Dum Bung village (on Ledo road in western Kachin State),” alleged a source.

A mother with a newly born-baby at a refugee camp in KIO Laiza headquarters, eastern Kachin State.