Chinese aid reaches Burma’s Kachin IDP camps

On Feb. 21, Red Cross Society of China visited Kachin IDP camps in Laiza, the capital of Kachin Independence Organization.

The Chinese government’s first ever humanitarian aid to Kachin refugees in Burma arrived last weekend to three internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camps along the border. Chinese state media Xinhua reported Sun Shuopeng, who heads China’s Red Cross Society, as saying it’s the first time for the organization to give aid to neighboring countries still embroiled in conflict.

Kachin political parties to hold cooperation meeting

Today in Myitkyina the leaders of four Kachin state based political parties will meet to discuss their possible cooperation in the upcoming 2015 national election. Kachin Democratic Party head (KDP) Gumgrawng Awng Hkam told the Kachin News Group (KNG) that he will be meeting with his counterparts from the Kachin State National Congress for Democracy (KNCD), the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP) and the Lisu National Development Party (LNDP).

Burma army takes control of huge jade piece in Hpakant

A jade stone from Hpakant, Kachin state in northern Burma.

Military troops in the jade rich Hpakant region of Kachin state moved in to take control of a giant jade boulder in the western part of Kachin state. The boulder has been estimated to weigh as much as 50 tons, depending on the quality of the jade found inside it could be worth tens of millions of dollars. The boulder remains semi submerged so it is still unclear exactly how big it is.

KIO calls on church groups to pray as tensions with Burma army escalate

Kachin Baptist Church

The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) last week called on church goers in its territory to pray as tensions between the group and Burma's military continue to escalate after the recent loss by the KIO of two posts near its Laiza headquarters.

China will send aid for displaced in Kachin state

Chinese aid trucks prepare to depart Burma border from Kunming, Yunnan province

Chinese state media announced on Wednesday that the Red Cross Society of China will send humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kachin state. The Xinhua news agency reported that the aid is valued at more than US$816,000. Initially Chinese state media reported that $816 million in aid would be shipped across the border but this appears to have been an error.

UN rights envoy Quintana finally reaches Laiza

UN rights envoy Quintana finally reached Laiza on Sunday, Feb. 16.

Six months after being denied access to the Kachin Independence Organization's (KIO) de facto capital by Burmese government authorities, UN rights envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana finally arrived in Laiza this past weekend. Quintana who is taking part in his final fact finding visit to Burma before his term as UN envoy expires later this year, met with internally displaced people and senior officials from the KIO.

Census data collection to begin early in Kachin state

Members of the six main Kachin sub-groups agreed to put down the "Kachin 101 code" when they answer the census, instead of their respective Kachin sub-groups on Laiza meeting on Dec. 17, 2013.

Burmese government officials plan to begin collecting census data in remote parts of Kachin state census one month before the scheduled period when the national census is officially set to take place, according to an officer from Kachin state’s Immigration and Population Department. The area where the earl census data collection will begin includes parts of the state where a conflict between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the military continues.

Burma army captures posts near KIO's Laiza capital

A machine gun at KIA frontline post near Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin state, northern Burma.

Two frontline posts controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) that severed as protection for the group's Laiza headquarters were seized by Burma government troops after heavy clashes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

2 KIA officers killing during clash in Bhamo district

KIA soldiers take a prayer before leaving for frontline in Waingmaw township in Kachin state, northern Burma.

Two Kachin Independence Army (KIA) officers fell in battle during clashes with government troops on February 7th in Prang Tai Maw, Mansi township, Bhamo district.

Burma army takes another KIA post in southern Kachin state

KIA troops take a military exercise in Bhamo district in Kachin state, northern Burma.

Burma army troops captured another Kachin Independence Army (KIA) post in Bhamo district in southern Kachin state on Thursday following a day of heavy fighting, KIA Battalion 12 commander Major Labang Jawn Awng told the Kachin News Group.

Kachin mark 54th anniversary of uprising

The KIO Chairman Lanyaw Zawng Hra's speech was highlighted by Rev. Dr. Maran Ja Gun, former dean of the Kachin Theologicak College (KTC)

Ethnic Kachin people in northern Burma and around the world marked the 54th anniversary of the beginning of the Kachin uprising on February 5th.

Alliance of ethnic political parties slam Burma national census

As hte first Kachin participant, KDP leader Awng Hkam joined to hte NBF's Naypyidaw conference on Feb. 1-2.

The Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF), an alliance of 20 registered ethnic political parties in Burma, criticized the ethnic group classification system that will be used for the nationwide census, which is scheduled to be held from March 30 to April 10, according to a statement issued February 2nd.

KIA soldier dies resisting Burma army attack

KIA frontline post in Momauk township in Bhpmo district in eastern Kachin state, northern Burma.

One of two Kachin Independence Army (KIA) soldiers missing after an attack on their post last week by government troops has been confirmed dead. The KIA soldiers were last seen alive manning the Dagaw Mada post on the Bhamo-Loije road in northern Kachin state on Friday, according to their commander from KIA 3rd Brigade. It remains unclear what happened to the other missing soldier.