President's Ceasefire Order Fails to Stop Offensive
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President's Ceasefire Order Fails to Stop Offensive


By BA KAUNG Wednesday, December 28, 2011


KIA soldiers wearing gas masks near the front line.
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There have been fresh reports of Burmese government troops conducting military offensives against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), bringing into doubt the effectiveness of a recent presidential order to the army not to engage the ethnic armed group except in self-defense.

On Sunday, Christmas day, three columns of government army troops launched a late-night assault on a KIA base located between Kutkai and Manton townships in Shan State, according to a high-ranking KIA military commander.

“Government reinforcement troops arrived in the area on Monday morning and continued the push to  to occupy our base there,” said Brig-Gen Zau Raw, the KIA commander in Shan State, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

 
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He added that the two sides were engaged in deadly clashes, with government troops using heavy artillery against the KIA. He also claimed that the government forces were using a “poisonous gas” that had caused two KIA soldiers to become nauseous and vomit.

Although this could not be independently verified, photos recently obtained by The Irrawaddy show KIA soldiers wearing gas masks in battle zones in Kachin State.

The armed clashes in this strategic resource-rich region near China's southwestern border continued despite the fact that President Thein Sein, the ex-general who heads Burma's new quasi-civilian government, issued a written statement signed on Dec. 10 ordering the army to halt military operations against the predominantly Christian KIA except for self-defense purposes.

“It seems that the order is no longer valid, since government troops have resumed their attacks,” said Zau Raw. “We don't know if the army is listening to President Thein Sein or not.”

However, the president's political adviser, Ko Ko Hlaing, rejected suggestions that the army is ignoring the president's orders, saying that the fighting in northern Burma is continuing because the two sides have been unable to build enough confidence to bring it to a complete halt.

“The president's order stated that the army should not attack except in self-defense. It is hard to tell who initiated the attacks, but there is no doubt that we will try to make peace with all ethnic groups, including the Kachin,” he told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Noting that the army's chief, Gen Min Aung Hlaing, is a member of the National Defense and Security Council, a top governing body established by the Constitution and chaired by the president, he added: “Our country is no longer an autocratic state as before.”

Recently, the Burmese government has signed or renewed ceasefire agreements with major ethnic armed groups, including the Shan State Army-South and the United Wa State Army, and has been holding peace talks with ethnic Karen and Mon armed groups.

In November, government officials held similar talks with the KIA in the Chinese border town of Ruili, but the government's rejection of KIA demands for a substantive political dialogue leading to autonomy in Kachin State prevented the two sides from reaching an agreement.

Since June, when a 17-year ceasefire between the KIA and the Burmese armed forces collapsed, some 40,000 refugees in Kachin State and northeastern Shan State have been forced to flee fighting.

On Dec. 12, the government allowed UN relief agencies to provide aid to refugees in Laiza, where the KIA has its military headquarters, for the first time. However, funding shortages have since brought relief efforts in the area to a halt, according to UN officials in Rangoon.

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chris jericho Wrote:
07/01/2012
@Soldier - or the kachin can declare statehood and cut deals with bigger guns--china and india. resume the myitsone dam, and build a couple more along irrawaddy and use them as a WMD. if the burmese military attacks again, open the dam gates and flood the downstream regions.
if you think the thai flood last year was bad, wait till you see a flood from overflowed mega-dams.

A.M.O Wrote:
02/01/2012
Well, It is now very obvious that:

"Gen Than Shwe is in Control;

Not the President (Gen) U Thein Sein"


Soldier Wrote:
30/12/2011
Kachin State is part of the Union. This is not a colonization effort, this is keeping the union together. You should realize that KIA and all others dacoits can either lay down their arms or get utterly crushed down to their pets and grandchildern.
Kachin Highlander Wrote:
30/12/2011
The very presence of Burmese Army is Kachinland indicates its offensive attitude and intention. If Burmese government's will is genuine, all you need to do is withdraw Burmese troops to your own lands. I am sure Kachin Army will not open any single shot in Magwe division and other lower Burman states. Stop your colonizing acts and attitude!!!

Ko Soe Wrote:
30/12/2011
Dear KKK,

I just wonder the way you use the words as below. Well, do you remember the past 17 years ago? Who betray the NDF (Ethnic alliance org) fist? The Kachin KIA betrays their ethnic friends first as work together with the Burmese military. Today the KIA will get what they deserve. The second betrayer is Mon.

As you mention, the other Ethnic groups are not stupid, but honest and loyalty to their friend, however the KIA Kachin is cunning and Betray to their friends.

KKK Wrote: 29/12/2011

Some ethnic armed groups are so stupid. Why did they stop fighting the regime. They should not hold any peace talks with this government. There is no way the current government can handle three or four wars at the same time. After KIA fall, they will come back to Stupid KNU, DKBA, SSA (North and South), UWSA


chris Jericho Wrote:
30/12/2011
@ Kachin Highlander - I am with you on this. the kachin leadership must restrict inflow of burmen, either the military or the high school/college drop-outs trying their (bad) luck in mining gems in phakant. they bring nothing but destruction and diseases to kachin state just like the europeans did to the american indians. and just like the white folks, they won't stop until the kachin population is reduced to a size small enough to fit in a golf course. look at the way the burmen on this commentary page jumping up and down in their pants when hilary clinton (a white woman) visited burma. they will try very hard to mimic the handy work of their admirers.

AH GEE Wrote:
30/12/2011
Burma Nasty peace talk with their goverment, if you read former revolutional written their diary.You will see their millitary corruption against ethnic nationality ,such as raped, killed and torture whenever they talk ceasefire with any ethnic group.They will talk peace on table but under table their military would act as their sold intension."Their military have kept their seat stablty.

Kachin Highlander Wrote:
30/12/2011
The very presence of Burmese Army is Kachinland indicates its offensive attitude and intention. If Burmese government's will is genuine, all you need to do is withdraw Burmese troops to your own lands. I am sure Kachin Army will not open any single shot in Magwe division and other lower Burman states. Stop your colonizing acts and attitude!!!

Free Man Wrote:
29/12/2011
Some people just lack and fear liberal, democratic values. They lack and fear reason, liberty, equality, justice, etc. They just want to sit on everyone's head and to do whatever they want to. And here we are..

kerry Wrote:
29/12/2011
All past and present military leaders need to go there from the Naypyidaw mansions, and call a halt.

Investigate why it continues.

Real negotiations must begin.

myat moe Wrote:
29/12/2011
Million of burmese people,international community and all ethnic resistance work so hard for democratic reform in burma. This hand full of elites(NDSC) still control the country affair behind the shadow and undermine the peaceful transformation,ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Peter Shwe Wrote:
29/12/2011
Having studied above article I am sad to learn that the President's order was failed to take appropriate action by Burmese army. Having looked at the order in details I am a little concerned about the wording used that " not to attack except self-defence" If both parties had peace talks and comes to one agreement, I do not feel that people need to attack each other. I felt that something is missing or incomplete order to act upon. It is no excuse that the army has found it hard to send the message to the front troops to be able to halt the fight. I feel this is the order made by the President of Myanmar and this has to be prioritises and must take appropriate action without absence.

TAH Wrote:
29/12/2011
Ethnic people in Burma are under widespread and brutal colonisation war since its independence in 1948 from British. It was just a change of hand from British coloniser to Burman-dominated Burmese government coloniser. Like those Burmans who wanted independence from British, ethnic people also nowadays want freedom and equality from Burmese coloniser.

Ali Tanggoon Wrote:
29/12/2011
I recollect historical incident of Ngasaung Chan where all the Chinese diplomatic delegation, to discuss peace between two countries, were murdered. Is this mindset still exist among the Myanmar rulers?

Steven Wrote:
29/12/2011
There you go.

Richard Aung Myint Wrote:
29/12/2011
Another test for Myanmar reforms and the road to democracy. Who is in charge?

KKK Wrote:
29/12/2011
Some ethnic armed groups are so stupid.Why did they stop fighting the regime. They should not hold any peace talks with this government. There is no way the current government can handle three or four wars at the same time. After KIA fall, they will come back to Stupid KNU, DKBA, SSA (North and South), UWSA.

Norman Hla Wrote:
29/12/2011
Ming aung hlaing(MAH) said "Our country is no longer an autocratic state as before.” MAH must read the international news that states bama election and parliament are rubbish and than shwe is the still leader of killers(bama military thugs). If bama military does not invade Kachin land, there is no need of self-defense as well as fighting. Than shwe has real intention to clean all ethnics one by one after every bama sham elections with different reason what he likes.

Venus Wrote:
29/12/2011
It seems like Defense Minister, still as GenTS's crony is on one extreme of Kachin Ethnic Cleansing side to sell Irrawaddy to China, whereas President Thein Sein is on the opposite side.

Oo Maung Gyi Wrote:
29/12/2011
It is too much regretful that the fighting between KIA and government forces can not stop. The diplomacy not play well. President order is ignored by the Tatmadaw as it has stated that except self defense. Self defense is an excuse, both side should stop and take position as where they are. No reinforcement, stop and should negotiate till
to get peace in the region.

C Thein Han Wrote:
29/12/2011
In spite of President U Thein Sein order to the Army to stop fighting and if they are still fighting, then the person responsible should be disciplined, sacked and court- martial.

niccolo machiavelli Wrote:
29/12/2011
The President and the Army is playing 'Good cop', 'bad cop' routine. KIA rubbed the nose of the Army the wrong way, when the KIA stationed themselves in the SHAN state, not just Kachin state.

chindits Wrote:
29/12/2011
Nope President is listening to Security Council. If Aung San Su Kyi becomes official, she will have to listen to them, too.

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