Surrender order on KIO rejected by Kachins in 22 countries

August 28, 2010

.The Burmese military junta’s order to the Kachin Independence Organization’s (KIO) armed wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to surrender weapons has been rejected out of hand by Kachins in 22 foreign countries.

The KIO is the second strongest ethnic armed group in the country

A statement in Kachin language released on August 27 rejected outright the regime’s order to disarm. The KIO was officially informed to surrender weapons on August 22 by the junta from September 1.

The statement was released even as the KIO kick started its fist Party Congress ever, in its Laiza capital on the China-Burma border, northern Burma yesterday. The congress will debate the shifts envisaged in Kachin politics in the current situation with general elections around the corner. And it will take a decision on its political stance soon, which in turn will be taken up with junta or the new government to come to power after the polls.

The statement suggested in no uncertain terms that the KIO and its armed wing the KIA should reject the weapons surrender order and strengthen the role of the leadership for the liberation of the Kachin people and its land.

Overseas Kachin will support the KIO/KIA totally and continuously for the liberation of Kachin people and their Kachinland, the statement said.

The statement was jointly released by Kachins around the globe in Malaysia, United States of America (USA), Canada, England, Singapore, Denmark, Japan, Norway, Australia, Holland, New Zealand, Germany, Israel, India, Hong Kong, China, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Thailand, Romania, Sweden and Philippines.

The KIO is the strongest ethnic armed group after United Wa State Army (UWSA). It is also the last remaining Kachin armed group, which rejected the junta-proposed Border Guard Force.

If the KIO Party Congress rejects the order to surrender weapons, a fresh civil war may be in the offing between the KIO and the Burmese Army before the slated November 7 elections or in the period after the elections, said local military analysts.

Yesterday, two senior Burmese military leaders— junta supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe and Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye reportedly stepped down from their military posts to prepare for the ensuing elections.