The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) vehemently denies Burmese government accusations that it was responsible for twin bomb attacks in Myitkyina on November 29, a spokesman for the organization said. The blasts killed two people and injured one.
Both explosions occurred at approximately 7:45 in front of the Kachin National Manau Park in Shatapru Quarter. The dead were identified as Dagawng Abraham, a teenage student and U Tint Naing Win, a thirty-one year old man. A fifteen-year old girl was also injured by the blast.
The government-owned New Light of Myanmar newspaper yesterday tried to pin blame for the blasts on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed wing of the KIO.
Reached by phone, Lah Nan, Deputy General Secretary-2 of the KIO, rejected the government’s allegations. He told the Kachin News Group (KNG),“We denounce the government’s false accusation. We would never attack or cause explosions in the downtown area”.
Since fighting broke out between the Burmese army and the KIO in June of this year there have been numerous explosions in Myitkyina. The government repeatedly assigns responsibility for these on the KIO/KLA. The KIO, for its part, reject the government claims. In blaming the KIO/KLA, the government also accuses them of being ‘terrorists. However, many people in Myitkyina have told the KNG they fear government forces and not the KIO/KLA.
On November 13, 11 people were killed and 28 people injured when an explosion destroyed a boarding school in the Dayau N’Jang Kawng (or Thida) Quarter. The school, which doubles as an orphanage, was owned by Tang Gun, a martial arts teacher. Many of those killed included young children. Though Tang Gun was away at the time of the explosion, he was later arrested by the Burmese government and charged with being responsible. The explosion also killed two of his sons and seriously injured his wife.
The Burmese government also claimed that the KIO/KLA was involved in the school bombing, a claim the KIO officially rejected in a November 18 statement.
In October 2010, following the KIO’s rejection of the Than Shwe regime’s request that it’s troops join a national border guard force, the KIO were labeled insurgents by the Burmese state-controlled media. This was widely seen as an indication that the Burmese army was preparing to attack the KIO/KLA.
A 17-year ceasefire between the Burmese government and Burma’s second largest ethnic army ended earlier this year when the army launched an offensive against the KIO/KLA. The ongoing war has disrupted power in Myitkyina. Also, the fighting has forced thousands of rural villagers to flee to the Sino-Burmese border.
This story was compiled by our correspondent in Myitkyina, Kachin State.
