In a major development the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) has said it is willing to surrender its weapons, without the need to transform to Border Guard Force (BGF), if the junta respects and accepts the spirit of the Panglong Agreement.
The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the last remaining ethnic Kachin armed group, which rejected the Burmese junta-proposed conversion to the BGF has communicated this demand to the regime supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe, said KIO sources. Than Shwe is the sole arbitrator in the junta.
The KIO has written to Than Shwe that the KIO will surrender its weapons without the necessity of transforming to BGF, if the junta respects and accepts the spirit of the Panglong Agreement which was jointly signed on February 12, 1947 by Burman leader Gen Aung San and ethnic leaders--- of Kachin, Chin and Shan states for the high hope of genuine multi-ethnic Union of Burma.
According to the Panglong Agreement, the Union of Burma received independence from the British in January 4, 1948. The Panglong Agreement was based on equal rights between the majority Burman and ethnics, who had the right to rule their own states and secession rights from the Union was also authorized to the ethnics.
The KIO's written-demand was sent early this month to Snr-Gen Than Shwe through Maj-Gen Soe Win, commander of the junta's Northern Regional Command (Ma-Pa-Kha) based in the Kachin State's capital Myitkyina, said KIO officials.
KIO sources said the demand to the junta is yet to be publicly announced. But it may be released soon.
The KIO’s final demand was submitted to the junta after it rejected the KIO's proposal to transform its military-wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to the Kachin Regional Guard Force (KRGF) instead of the Burmese Army-controlled BGF. The KIO also demanded direct participation of its people in the new Kachin State government to be formed after the 2010 elections, said KIO officials.
In another proposal, KIO told the junta that it would like to jointly continue activities of its four departments under the KIO--- the Department of General Administration (civil administration), Education, Health and Rural Reconstruction. However the proposal was rejected by the junta, said KIO officials in Laiza headquarters on the Sino-Burma border in Kachin State.
For the forcible implementation of the "one country, one military policy" of the junta, the KIO and all ethnic ceasefire groups have been given a deadline of 31 October to transform their armed-wings to the BGF.
On the other hand, the Loikang-based KIA's 4th brigade in Northeast Shan State is being threatened by the regime that it would be wiped out from the region if it does not transform to the three smaller militia groups under the Burmese Army or else it would unconditionally have to withdraw to Kachin State.
So far, the KIO has rejected any shift of the 4th brigade and it is waiting for a response from Snr-Gen Than Shwe over its final demand related to the Panglong Agreement, said KIO officials.
