The atmosphere of palpable tension, with war appearing imminent between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the Burmese Army, failed to dampen the New Year spirit in Kachin State, in Northern Burma.

The 2011 New Year was ushered in on January first at territories controlled by the KIO, as the second strongest ethnic armed group in the country celebrated the New Year and the Yuletide Spirit with pomp and vigor.

This New Year was celebrated with special Christian prayer services at the KIO’s general headquarters, at Laiza, in Kachin State, as well as in KIO controlled areas in Kachin State and Northern Shan State, said officials in Laiza.

On December 31, Christmas was celebrated in Laiza and in every army battalion and division of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the military wing of the KIO in the two states, said KIO/KIA officers from different regions.

At the special New Year prayer service in Laiza, KIO/KIA and civilian participants prayed for and sought the blessing of the Almighty. The prayer service was also joined by KIO chairman Lanyaw Zawng Hra, KIA Chief of Staff, Maj-Gen Gunhtang Gam Shawng, and central committee members, participants said.

At the KIA battalion No.1 in Nbapa, in Manmaw, also known as Bhamo District, over 500 men and women attached to the KIO/KIA, as well as civilians, enjoyed Christmas and New Year celebrations, according to a KIA officer from the battalion.

At KIA’s 4th brigade, in Loikang, near Kutkai, in Northern Shan State, Christmas and New Year prayer services were attended by hundreds of participants, including local civilians and members of the Burmese junta-backed militia groups, participants said.

A participant told the Thailand-based Kachin News Group, “The celebration was the biggest in the 4th Brigade in years. All junta-backed militia groups and civilians around the brigade were cordially invited.”

The two special days were also widely celebrated in battalions and command headquarters in the KIA’s 1st brigade in Northern Kachin State, and the 2nd brigade in western Kachin State, according to KIA central military command headquarters in Laiza.

Christmas and New Year were also celebrated in the Representative Offices of Kachin Affairs inThailand and India (ROKA-T and ROKA-I), sources in the two offices said.

However, despite this enthusiasm over Christmas and New Year the KIO is preparing for armed conflict with the Burmese Army if it attacks the armed group after the failure of a series of attempts at political dialogue with the military regime by the KIO.