Preparations for the  ethnic Kachin cultural and religious festival in Bhamo, the second largest city in the country's northern Kachin State, was rudely hampered by Burmese military authorities today,  said local Kachin community sources.

The circular ground around Kachin cultural Manau Poles in Bhamo Kachin Literature and Culture Center (BKLC) in Aung Ta village in Two Miles was damaged today between 10 a.m. and2 p.m. local time with a power-shovel, said local eyewitnesses.

Eyewitnesses told KNG, that several Bhamo city police officers were present when a power shovel was being used. The Manau Poles is the symbol of Kachin and highly valued by all Kachin people.

111209-bhamo-kachinThe preparations for the cultural and religious festivals were hampered by the authorities despite the cerebrations of Kachin Manau dance festival and Thanksgiving festivals in the Manau Compound on November 26 to 28 being officially authorized by the Bhamo District Administrative Office or Bhamo District Peace and Development Council (Kha-Ya-Ka).

On the orders of Col. Khin Maung Myint, Chairman of Bhamo District Administrative Office or Bhamo District Peace and Development Council (Kha-Ya-Ka), the Manau ground, which had recently been covered with sand stones and limestone, was badly damaged by power-shovels, according to the cultural body.

The Manau dance-ground was damaged soon after the portable wooden-made Manau Poles were erected on the centre of the cultural ground following a Christian cultural prayer service at about 8 a.m., said local participants at the service.

The cultural body said, concrete  and cement constructions of strong Manau Poles, cultural buildings, the entrance gate and the compound signboard were banned by Maj-Gen Soe Win, commander of Northern Command of the ruling junta in March.

On June 22, five BKLC committee members of a total of 40 members were made to forcibly sign in the District Administrative Office to abandon construction of concrete cultural Manau Poles and buildings in the cultural compound by Col. Khin Maung Myint, said committee members.

All construction in the Manau compound are to be with wood or bamboo the military authorities had said, said BKLC leaders.

In Bhamo, or also spelled Manmaw in Kachin, Kachin people are usually authorized to hold the cultural Manau festivals but permanent Manau Poles are not allowed to be built in the cultural compounds.  That is the reason the portable Manau Poles made of wood are used during the festival period.  It is removed after the festival, said Kachin cultural leaders in Bhamo.

In 1997, concrete Kachin Manau Poles which was built in December, 1995, commemorating the100th anniversary of attainment of Kachin Literature at Aung Pyin Lay in Mandalay Division were demolished on the orders of the ruling junta's No. 2 Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye.  The anniversary Manau Poles were constructed on the authorization of the junta's former Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt.

Burma has signed the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) but it abuses the rights of ethnic minorities.

Article 22 and 27 of UDHR, clearly states that "everyone has the right to show, develop and protect their culture and literature".