Perturbed human rights activists have pointed out that the junta’s wresting control of the traditional Kachin Manau dance festival will impair and hamper the development of the cultural activity of the ethnic people of the state.

Aung Myo Min, Director of the Thailand-based Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB) told Kachin News Group, the military junta’s taking control of the Manau dance festival had to do with showing its might and controlling the culture of the Kachin people.

“We have seen how the junta tried to control the cultural festival. It is not the right way to promote the culture of the ethnic people,” said Aung Myo Min.

A senior Burmese Army officer will be heading the Acting Manau Committee to celebrate the biggest Kachin traditional festival from January 7 to 11, which marks the 63rd anniversary of Kachin State Day on January 10, 2011.

The Director of the Human rights group HREIB said, the junta is bent on influencing the culture of Kachin people by the power of its military dictatorship and also using the event to attract tourists. The reasons are both economic and aimed at ethnic cleansing where the culture will just disappear.

“Despite ostensibly trying to promote the culture they (junta) are trying to control it for its own benefit,” said human rights activist.

The Acting Manau Committee head was removed forcibly and replaced with a Burmese Army officer and the Manau festival will be celebrated under the direct control of the junta.

“Celebration of cultural festivals for all ethnic people by themselves is very important to promote their culture,” he said.

He said, there is possibly another purpose of taking control of the cultural events and that is to scare the people, who have armed groups, which is a threat to the military government.

Stepping up the palpable tension with the Kachin ethnic armed group, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), which already exists, is another possible reason of controlling the people’s most significant traditional event by the junta, said the director of HREIB.

“It will lead to more hatred for the dictatorship and also the Burmese people because they (ethnic people) will think it was being done by the Burmese,” said Aung Myo Min on the possibility of destruction of the unity in Burma with such interference in the Manau festival.

Awng Wa, Chairman of the Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG) said, the junta intends to extend its power by controlling Kachin people’s traditional festival which will eventually destroy the culture.

“There will be a decrease in participation in the ensuing festival just like in the MSL ruled days,” said Awng Wa.

In the BSPP’s (Burma Socialist Programme Party-1964-1988 led by General Ne Win) tenure the government managed the ‘State Days’ ignoring that leaders of the people were not so active and only a few attended the celebration.

“Now Burmese junta is manipulating not only politics but also culture and literature,” said Awng Wa.

Sources in Kachin State said Kachin people from China and India will avoid attending the festival if the junta controls the festival.

A local source said, “It is oppression of the minority people by the army, which is taking control of the festival forcibly.”

If Burmese junta wants to promote the culture of ethnic people then they should provide freedom of holding cultural festivals and allow use of their own literature. People should be free to celebrate their culture by themselves without interference from the government. The regime should encourage holding festivals like Manau which is important for maintaining the tradition of the people, said Aung Myo Min.