Rapporteur calls for UN access to IDP in Kachin State

TOMAS OJIA QUINTANA ARRIVED IN RANGOON, THE FOMER CAPITAL OF BURMA ON JULY 29,2012.

Speaking at a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday, Tomás Ojea Quintana, the Special Rapporteur for human rights in Burma called on Thein Sein's government to grant the UN and its agencies unimpeded access to all areas of Burma including parts of Kachin State not controlled by the government.

Burma army troops steal from Kachin villagers

 KAMAING, BURMA — Troops from the Army's Light Infantry Division No. 88 stole valuable jewelry from a Kachin woman Sunday evening during military operations at her village in western Kachin state, according to the woman's neighbors.

KIO peace talks on hold for now

BURMESE GOVERNMENT PEACE NEGOTIATOR AUNG MIN(LEFT) AND KIO VICE CHIEF-OF-STAFF BRIG-GEN GUN MAW

The Myanmar Times newspaper reported on Monday that the next round of proposed peace talks between Burma's government and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) will not go ahead because of a disagreement over who the KIO would be negotiating with. The KIO is said to have rejected a suggested meeting with Burma's military the Tatmadaw because the group wants to meet with the government directly.

Entire population of Kachin village flees after Burma army moves in

AN IDP IN A KACHIN BAPTIST CHURCH IN HPAKANT JADE MINE, WESTERN KACHIN STATE. PHOTO: KACHIN NEWS GROUP

Intimidation and threats of violence from Burma government troops forced the entire of population of Nam Si In village in western Kachin state to flee over the weekend, according to villagers who recently escaped.

Burma army shoots child inside Chinese refugee camp

PANGWA AND DISSOLVED NDA-K LEADER ZAHKUNG TING YING.

 A 7-year boy sheltering at a temporary refugee inside China suffered serious injuries after being hit by bullets reportedly fired by Burmese soldiers stationed across the border inside Kachin state on October 15, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to the Kachin News Group (KNG).

Burma Army shelling kills three Kachin civilians in Hpakant

A WOUNDED VILLAGER CARRIED AWAY FROM MAW MAU BUM IN KACHIN STATE. HE WAS INURED AFTER THE ARMY SHELLED HIS VILAGE.

HPAKANT, BURMA — Army shelling in the Hpakant jade mining district of western Kachin state killed three Kachin civilians Wednesday evening, according to local residents.

The deaths occurred after Burmese forces fired a series of 81 mm mortar rounds at Maw Mau Bum, a Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) controlled village located about 3 miles west of Hpakant (or Hpakan, Phakant). Fatally wounded by the shelling were Kala Tu Awng 31, Magawng Naw San 30 and Gumraw Tang Gun 33, a relative of one of the deceased told the Kachin News Group.

Argument between Burma army officers turns deadly in N.Shan State

A BURMESE SOLDIER GUARDS GUARDS NAM SA BRIDGE NEAR TAMONYE IN NORTHERN SHAN STATE.

A heated disagreement among two officers in the Burmese army turned deadly on October 12, leading to the deaths of 3 army personnel and a local guide at Mung Lung in the Mongkoe (Munggu) region of Northern Shan State, the Kachin News Group has learned.

KIA says 211 army soldiers die in two-month fighting in Hpakant

LT-COL. NHKUM ZAU DOI, COMMANDER OF KIA BATTALION 6 IN HPAKANT JATE LAND.

 A senior commander in the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) claimed on Sunday that 211 government soldiers have been killed and 36 injured over the past two months during heavy fighting in the Hpakant (or Hpakan or Phakant) jade mining district of western Kachin state.

The figures were given by Lt-Col. Nhkum Zau Doi, commander of KIA Battalion 6 during a speech he gave in a Kachin Baptist church in Hpakant.

More Burma army forces fall in battle in jade rich Hpakant

A BURMESE SOLDIER SECURES KACHIN CULTURAL MANAU PARK IN MYITKYINA. THE CAPITAL OF KACHIN STATE, NORTHERN BURMA. PHOTO:KACHIN NEWS GROUP

HPAKANT, BURMA — At least 6 Burmese soldiers were killed and as many as 15 injured Tuesday following two separate attacks by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the jade rich Hpakant region of western Kachin state, according to local KIA officials.

3 Burma soldiers die after clash with KIA in Shan state

KIA TROOPS IN  MONGKOE AREA, NORTHERN SHAN STATE.

Three soldiers from Burma's military died on Monday following bloody clashes with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the Mongkoe (or Munggu) area of northern Shan state, according to local residents.

Thein Sein denies claims of army abuses in Kachin state

BBC HARDTALK TV INTERVIEWED PRESIDET THEIN ON SEPT.2.

Burma's President Thein Sein in an interview with the BBC's Hardtalk TV program that aired last week, dismissed claims that Burma's military has committed human rights abuses against civilians in Kachin state.

Rights group calls charges to be dropped against Kachin peace protesters

This week Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the Burmese government to drop all charges against 13 activists who organized a September 21 peace day demonstration in Rangoon and Myitkyina.

KIA trains Arakanese recruits

A GRADUATE RECEIVES AN OUTSTANDING AWARD IN THE BASIC TRAINING. PHOTO: KACHIN NEWS GROUP

Last week Kachin Independence Army's Battalion 6 based in the war torn Hpakant (Hpakan) region of Kachin State concluded a short training program for new recruits which included 29 soldiers from the Arakanese (Rakhine) ethnic group.  Some of the Arakanese volunteers appeared to be workers who previously toiled in the Hpakant's areas numerous jade mines.

Activists demand justice for abducted Kachin women

SUMLUT ROI JA'S WEDDING PHOTO. SHE IS THE WOMEN WHO WAS ABDUCTED BY SOLDIERS LAST OCTOBER, HER HUSBAND'S ATTEMPT TO HAVE HER CASE HEARD IN COURT WAS THROWN OUT.

Last week the Kachin Women's Association of Thailand (KWAT) sent President Thein Sein an open letter demanding that he authorize a re-trial for a court challenge launched by the family of Sumlut Roi Ja, a Kachin woman arrested by government forces in eastern Kachin state last year.