KBC -Burma's largest Kachin church organization - also released a strongly worded statement urging the government to hold political dialogue; also a key demand of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).  “Peace cannot be made by force… Stop arbitrary arrests of innocent civilians, stop firing indiscriminately on refugee camps, stop harassing and raping women and respect international human rights laws” said the statement.

KBC also told the government allow the UN and other aid groups full access to all internally displaced persons camps in the state - including those in KIO-controlled areas.

KBC General Secretary Rev. Dr. Hkalam Sam Sun criticized the way Burma's nominally civilian government is handling the conflict. “The government has not listened to our demonstrations so we are praying to god to intervene,” the Rev. said.

The government's use of warplanes, attack helicopters and unknown chemical agents to carry out recent offensives that has displaced more than 100,000 people was also condemned in the statement.

Since the 17-ceasefire with KIO and the government unraveled on June 9, 2011, 66 Baptist churches in Kachin and northern Shan state have been damaged or destroyed, according to the statement. Government troops have also conducted many “unsuitable acts” during the church attacks. This was a reference to reports that have emerged that allege that soldiers have ripped up bibles and even defecated in the churches.

According to the KBC, more than 200 Kachin villages have also been attacked and in some cases completely leveled by the fighting.

The KBC, founded in 1910, have nearly a half a million followers in Burma. The church organization played a key role in brokering the 1994 ceasefire between the KIO and Burma's government.