The Kachin National Organization (KNO), the largest exiled Kachin political organization, issued a statement last Friday that strongly condemned President Thein Sein's position that there isn’t any more fighting in Burma. Throughout his European trip, which wrapped up last Friday, Thein Sein repeated the government line that armed conflict in the country had ended despite mounting evidence that fighting in Kachin state continues unabated.
"There's no more hostilities, no more fighting all over the country, we have been able to end this kind of armed conflict," the ex-general transformed into politician boasted during a joint press conference with Austrian President Heinz Fischer last Monday.
Thein Sein's allegations prompted the KNO to publically set the record straight. “The Burmese government is committing war crimes and preparing another big scale conflict while claiming 'peace' in Kachinland,” said a KNO statement.
Thein Sein’s 10 day trip to the European continent took place while the army was repeatedly attacking KIO positions, according to the statement. This information was supported by Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) officials in direct contact with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) frontline posts in Kachin state. Furthermore the KNO noted that during the last 10 days the army has also been resupplying front-line posts in a preparation for what appears to be another major offensive against Kachin resistance forces in Kachin state.
Last Tuesday, the Burma army battalion 101 attacked KIA positions nearby Gat Shang Yang, along the road to Moguang, south of the Kachin state capital Myitkyina.
