Ironic as it is, at a time when people are suffering hardships due to the economic meltdown, thousands of people are joining the Kachin traditional Manau festival on the eve of the 48th anniversary of the Kachin Revolution Day in Kachin state today, said local sources.

Over 10,000 Kachins and non-Kachins in Burma are participating in the two-day Manau dance festival which started this morning in Laiza, the headquarters and business center of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on the Sino-Burma border in eastern Kachin State, said KIO officials in Laiza.

According to KIO officials, over 7,000 guest visitors have registered in the guest registration center. They are mainly ethnic Shans from Bhamo and Mohnyin districts, Burmans, Chinese, Buddhist monks, Muslims, Gorkhas, Burma's ethnic nationalities and dignitaries from different religious, political and cultural organizations, added KIO officials.

A KIO receptionist told KNG today, "Now, all hotels, guesthouses and public schools and spaces are full of guest visitors.  We are now accommodating incoming guest visitors in the houses of residents in Laiza.  Laiza is full of guest visitors."

This morning 'Ninggawn Shadip Manau' meaning 'triumph Manau dance' was officially inaugurated by Kachin Christian traditional prayer service and hundreds of people danced the Manau from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Burma standard time, said participants.

From 2 p.m., Manau was performed by hundreds of men and women in service in KIO around Kachin state with residents of Laiza and guest visitors, added participants.

This evening at 5 p.m., the KIO served the special invited guests and dignitaries including Burmese army officers from Northern regional command headquarters (Ma Pa Kha) based in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state with the special 'Padang Lusha' meaning "Triumph Dinner" in Sinpraw Majoi Gawknu (Sinpraw Majoi public hall), according to KIO sources.

Tomorrow February 5 is the 48th anniversary of the Kachin Revolution Day, the day the KIO with the support of the Kachin people formed the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).  The current KIO/KIA President and Chairman Salang Kaba Lanyaw Zawng Hra will address the military and public after over a thousand of KIA soldiers undertake a military parade, said KIO officials.