KIO releases statement to all citizens of Burma

Burma's second strongest armed ethnic group the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) today released an official statement aimed at the entire population of Burma, which reiterated the group's desire for a truly democratic and federal Burma.

The KIO has tried to end its ongoing armed conflict with Burma's central government but despite their efforts fighting in Kachin and northern Shan states has only intensified, according to the statement which was issued by the KIO's central committee.

According to the statement, the Burmese military's campaign against the KIO has produced nearly 60,000 internally displaced persons and made thousands more suffer.

“The root cause of the war is political.  In order to end the war and bring about peace these problems must be solved by political means”, the statement said.

It was with the aim of creating peace that the KIO participated in the Burmese military regime's National Convention, the statement said.  A reference to the lengthy series of meeting which began in the 1990's and continued for many years that was supposed to produce a new and inclusive constitution for the country.

According to the statement during the National Convention the KIO submitted numerous proposals to enable ethnic nationalities to live as equals with their Burman countryman.  Ultimately nearly all of the proposals submitted by the KIO during the national convention were rejected by the generals in charge of the process.

The statement also stressed that Kachin political leaders had taken an active role in negotiations with General Aung San during the 1947 Panglong conference, at which time the Kachin and other ethnic groups reached an agreement with Aung San that enabled Burma to achieve independence.

The statement was released one day before KIO representatives are to meet their counterparts from the Burmese government for peace talks in China.

The statement said also said that the KIO will participate in negotiations with the government in order to achieve equal rights and self-determination for the Kachin people.

Lah Nan, deputy general secretary no. 2 of the KIO told the Kachin News Group on Tuesday, that while the KIO is willing to meet with government representatives for negotiations, the KIO will not however participate in any talks based on the much criticized 2008 national constitution.