Kachin organizations in exile have rejected outright the Burmese military junta’s proposal that the Kachin ceasefire groups transform their armed wings into Border Security Forces, according to a statement released on May 12.
A statement was released by a combination of exiled based All Kachin Students and Youth Union (AKSYU), Kachin Today Group (KTG-USA), Kachin National Organization (KNO), Kachin State National Congress for Democracy (KNCD-LA) and the Progressive Kachin Christian Solidarity (PKCS).
“We don’t want the Kachin ceasefire groups to transform into Border Security Forces. We also reject the SPDC’s (State Peace and Development Council) intention of transforming Kachin ceasefire forces to border forces,” said Duwa Mahkaw Hkun Sa, a chairman of KNCD-LA and also General Secretary of Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC).
During last month, the Northern Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win in Kachin State met three Kachin ceasefire groups separately, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Kachin Defense Army (KDA) and proposed that they transform to border security forces.
The junta’s proposal has been rejected by Kachins all over the world.
“The reason we the Kachins in exile reject the SPDC’s proposal is that we don’t want the Kachin ceasefire groups to be disarmed and the Kachin leaders have the courage to oppose the wrong proposal of the SPDC,” said Slg. N-hpaw Naw Hkam, General Secretary of AKSYU.
“We want the Kachin leaders to lead the Kachin community adopting the right tactics,” he added.
However, according to the 2008 constitution and as the Kachin ceasefire groups supported the constitution, they (Kachin ceasefire groups) have to follow what the Burmese military junta so-called SPDC tells them to implement, Duwa Hkun Sa said.
Even if the Kachin ceasefire groups implement what the Burmese military junta forcibly wants them to do, there cannot be any progress among the Kachin ceasefire groups. And now the junta is forcibly trying to convert the cease-fire groups to border security forces. The idea is exterminate the Kachin people, the statement said.
“When the KIO submitted its 19-point charter of demands to the SPDC at the National Convention, it was pointedly ignored by the junta. Therefore the Kachin ceasefire groups should seriously consider the issue,” Duwa Hkun Sa added.
The statement also urged all Kachin ceasefire groups to join hands with the general public to revolt against the junta’s directive.
“We have to be more united. Especially now because of the junta’s proposal there is need for unity among KIO/A, NDA-K, Kachin Democratic Army (KDA) and KIA Lasang Awng Wa group and the Kachin people,” Naw Hkam said.
The statement raised six points for all the Kachin ceasefire groups and it included that all Kachin ceasefire groups should meet and discuss with other ethnic ceasefire groups in the country and raise one voice in condemnation of the SPCD’s proposal.
The KIO, the mother of all Kachin armed groups held an emergency meeting on the proposal by the junta to transform its armed wing KIA on May 11 and 12 in Laiza headquarters. The KIO delegates will meet again the junta's Northern Command commander Brig-Gen Soe Win in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State regarding the issue on May 20.
Kachins in exile and inside the country do not want to transform all Kachin ceasefire groups and put it under the junta's Ministry of Defence as well as surrender their weapons before Kachins achieve self-determination.
