The Burmese military junta's offer of dialogues with ethnic ceasefire groups in the country who agree to the "policy of their armed-wing transition strategy" is politically ridiculous, opine Kachin politicians.
The reason is that dialogues are being promised to ethnic ceasefire groups by the junta after the junta-centric new constitution was unlawfully approved in a countrywide Referendum on May 10, 2008, said Kachin politicians in the country's northern Kachin State and abroad.
Duwa Bawmwang Laraw, chairman the Kachin National Organization (KNO) in exile and the Kachin National Council (KNC) in exile, and member of the presidium of Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) based in Thailand said, "The political dialogue should be between the current government and ethnic ceasefire groups after their identity, rights and autonomy have been clearly guaranteed in the federal-based constitution."
As of now, the leaders of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), one of the largest ethnic ceasefire groups in the country has agreed to the policy of armed-wing ‘Transition Strategy’ proposed by the junta because it would like to avoid a fresh civil war and solve the political problems peacefully through political means, Dr. Manam Tu Ja, the KIO's Vice-president No. 2 told KNG.
Duwa Bawmwang Laraw responded to Dr. Tu Ja saying, "The dialogue between the KIO and junta may stop resumption of civil war for a short while but it is totally ridiculous and will not resolve political problems between them."
Duwa Bawm Lang, leader of the Kachin State National Congress for Democracy (KNCD) which won three seats in Kachin State in 1990 elections based in Kachin State's capital Myitkyina, completely rejected transforming the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed wing of KIO into a battalion of the Border Security Force, as has been proposed by the junta.
Duwa Bawm Lang said, "During the struggle for Federal Democracy in Burma and for the rights of the Kachin people, Kachin people and we, KNCD also rejected the junta's proposal of transforming KIA. If we are pure Kachin men, we must wield swords or arms. One is not called a Kachin man without holding a sword or arms in keeping with Kachin civilization."
At the same time in a statement released on June 6, Kachin university students representing Kachin students in the universities in Burma suggested to the KIO/A to fight the junta with arms instead of transforming the KIA to a "border security force".
In the five-point statement, it also mentioned that all Kachin university students in the country are ready and will heroically do their duty relating to the liberation of Kachin people. The students also rejected the junta-led National Convention concluded in 2007 and the country's new constitution which was forcibly approved in 2008.
Many Kachin people feel the KIO leaders by agreeing to transform the armed-wing proposed by the junta tricked the Kachin people because the leaders had said they would obey the people's suggestion.
The fact remains that most Kachins in the country and abroad have rejected the transformation of KIA into a border security force before resolving the political imbroglio.
Duwa Bawmwang Laraw suggested to KIO leaders that they should not trick Kachin people in playing politics with the junta. They would also have to discuss bravely regarding the political rights of Kachin people with the enemy— the Burma's ruling junta.
