The Chin National Front (CNF) has publically criticized the ongoing Burma government’s offensives against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). CNF said in a statement released on Jan.5 that the peace and reconciliation process with the Union of Burma will be affected if offensives on the KIA that began on June 9, 2011 by the government doesn't stop.
The CNF said that the conflict is killing and maiming many civilians. Around a hundred thousand civilians have become internally displaced and their future is uncertain.
During the second phase of union level peace talks with the government in December, the CNF called for an end to attacks against the KIA. Since then there have been ongoing offenses conducted by Burma’s military against Kachin resistance forces.
The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), which CNF is a member of, released a statement on Jan.1 stating that the actions taken by the central government waged against the KIA demonstrates they are not interested in solving the conflict by adopting the necessary political resolutions that would bring an end to the fighting. Recently UNFC leaders and U Aung Min, vice chairman for the Burma government peacemaking committee met.
Fighting near the Kachin Independence Organization’s (KIO) Laiza headquarters have intensified in the last several weeks. Government military planes and helicopters have been relentlessly pounding KIA positions.
The KIO was formed in 1961 to fight for the rights of the Kachin people in Burma’s northmostwestern state.
