The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) should wage war again on Burma's ruling junta in Kachin state, was a suggestion made by a Kachin resident at a meeting between delegates in the KIO-led Kachin state Interim Committee (KSIC) and Kachin residents of Hpakant (Phakant) jade mining city on November 6, local sources said.
A Hpakant resident voiced his feelings in front of a group of KSIC delegates led by the committee chairman and Vice-president of KIO Dr. Manam Tu Ja, "The Burmese (junta) will never grant rights of Kachins without a war. Don't you (KIO leaders) be happy in your cars? Walk. Your (KIO leaders) bellies have swelled too much."
According to participants, the meeting was organized by the KSIC at the KIO-owned Buga Company in Maw One quarter in Hpakant city and it was attended by about 50 invited local people including jade miners, jade traders, church leaders and young people.
The meeting was meant mainly to garner support of the Kachin majority in the 2010 elections in the country where a future political party derived from the KSIC will represent Kachin state and contest the elections against the junta-backed political party, added KSIC sources.
The same resident of Hpakant also alleged that Kachin state was sold out by former deposed KIO chairman Gen. Malizup Zau Mai and Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, former general secretary of Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) and founder of Shalom Foundation (SF), a Church-based national NGO for peace.
Currently given Burma's political situation created by the junta's seven-step roadmap, the KIO has two political options. One is to obtain state autonomy (which has been ignored by the junta) or the KIO can indirectly participate in the 2010 elections as a party derived from the KSIC where KIO will not surrender weapons and try and initiate direct political talks with a new Kachin state government after the 2010 elections, said KIO leaders.
The KIO is the strongest Kachin armed group based in both Kachin state and northeast Shan state in northern Burma and it signed a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese ruling junta in 1994.
The KIO has a history of 47 years of struggle to obtain the rights of Kachin people in northern Burma by both armed struggle and ceasefire methods.
