Aung Min down plays recent Kachin clashes as Burma army sends more troops

U Aung Min with holding KIO flag

During an interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA) this week President Thein Sein's chief negotiator, Aung Min, sought to down play recent clashes between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the military.  “Only 29 small clashes have occurred within the past four months” Aung Min claimed before adding that the “fighting has decreased by 90 percent."   While the frequency and intensity of the clashes has noticeably decreased since January when heavy fighting took place near the KIO's de facto capital Laiza, it is unclear if the fighting has really been reduced by 90% as Aung Min maintains. Beginning in late August and carrying into September heavy fighting broke out between KIO and the military in northern Kachin state's Putao district, an area where until this point little fighting had occurred.

Aung Min is who currently in the Kachin state capital Myitkyina for talks with the KIO also indicated the government's willingness to take part in political talks, a long standing demand of the KIO.  “If we can hold political talks, we could discuss issues such as equal rights and autonomy for ethnic groups, building a federal union, amending the constitution, and power and resource sharing—rights that all ethnic groups want and that every citizen must have”, Aung Min said. The comments were made yesterday on the sideline of the meeting between the KIO and the government. The peace talks are being observed by Vijay Nambiar, the UN's special envoy to Burma as well as representatives from China's ministry of foreign affairs.

While Aung Min and his staff from the Myanmar Peace Center continue to make statements about the potential for peace in Kachin state the military appears to be gearing up for another offensive.  KIO sources report that the military has been sending more troop reinforcements to face off against KIO positions in southern Kachin state.  Over the past week reinforcements have arrived at Nar-Uu-Gyi village, Nar-Uu-Lay village and Man The village in Mansi township, KIO sources say.

Aid workers say that many of the people from these villages fled their homes in anticipation of further fighting.  More than 190 residents of these villages have already taken shelter in an IDP came operated by the Kachin Baptist convention in Hpanhkakone village (located near Bhamo) and more are expected.

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