The Kachin National Forum (KNF), issued statements for Myanmar’s 77th Independence Day, on 4 January 2025 and for the 77th Kachin State Day on 9 January.
In its statements the KNF, an organisation made up of 20 Kachin civil society organisation members, spoke of the historical oppression of the Kachin people, criticised junta rule and called for “a new federal democratic state with equal and self-determination.”
In its statement for Independence Day the KNF said: “During the four years since the military coup, our country has been ranked last in the world in terms of economic, political and development. The military coup has carried out arbitrary bombings and killings of the people. Such actions are a systematic violation of the existence of humanity. All people must continue to fight for the eradication of the tyrannical Military Council system and the elimination of the supporters of the Military Council.”
In its statement marking Kachin State day the KNF paid tribute to “to the comrades who died in the battles for the right to create their own destiny and achieve self-determination.”
It also pointed out that since independence in 1948 “the Kachin people have been oppressed and ruled by all sides without equal treatment in politics for nearly 80 years.”
It called on all people to “work together to build a new federal democratic state with equal and self-determination,” and to “eradicate the military regime as soon as possible.”
A KNF official said to KNG: “To achieve the goal of establishing a federal union, we must first dismantle the dictatorship. We are fully committed to joining forces with all like-minded groups to accomplish this objective.”
San Htwel, spokesperson for the Kachin Women's Association Thailand (KWAT), a KNF member organisation, emphasised the need for collective efforts to achieve true independence.
She said: “Policies that guarantee women's rights are essential, even in a federal system. True independence can only be achieved when women are free and safe in society.”
In its statement for Independence day the KNF promised that it would “work with local organisations, individuals and international governments to overthrow the dictatorship.”
