UNFC decries recent wave of fighting

In a statement released over the weekend the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of Burma's armed ethnic groups, expressed the group's concern regarding the recent wave of fighting that has taken place in Shan and Kachin states.

Burma army uses air strikes on KIO days after historic Naypyidaw meeting

KIO vice Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Gun Maw (left), General Secretary Dr. La Ja (middle) and Sumlut Gam, head of KIO peace delegation team, met Kachin community in Rangoon on Mar 22, 2015

On Sunday morning just days after an unprecedented meeting in Naypyidaw last week between senior representatives of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and President Thein Sein as well as the head of the armed forces Min Aung Hlaing, the Burma army launched repeated attacks on KIO positions.

700 Kachin civilians flee from home after clashes in Shan state last month

Clashes between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burma army in northern Shan State Mongkoe township last month forced more than 700 Kachin civilians to flee from their village to the Chinese border, according to a local pastor involved in the relief efforts.

Civilians destroy poppy fields in Kachin State's Hukaung valley

A poppy field in Hukaung valley, western Kachin state, northern Burma

Motivated by the ongoing drug crisis affecting Kachin state a group of concerned Kachin say they have destroyed hundreds of acres of poppy crops in the state's Hugawng valley (also Hukaung valley). The eradication campaign began on February 12th and ran until March 2nd. Poppy fields across Danai township were targeted for destruction. Poppies in Tawang, Tarung and Gangdau Yang destroyed by a group of more than 500 volunteers who came from across Kachin state, according to La Ring, an anti-drug campaigner who took part.

Burma's Armed groups and government to meet again soon

Representatives from the Burmese government's Union Peace-making Working Committee (UPWC) and their counterparts from the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) will hold a seventh round of peace negotiations later this month.