Kachin's fight for independence raises concerns

That increased the number of detainees, including 18 villagers and two staffers from the general administration department of Myitkyina captured on May 3, to 50. The Peace-talks Creation Group (PCG) and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) technical advisory team were updated on the incident.

Daung Khar, a spokesperson from the KIO’s technical advisory team, said the KIA might be unaware of the so-called detention. He heard the KIA was recruiting new soldiers. 

“The KIA said they have yet to check this information… The victims may be gold miners as no villager was left there. The KIA recruited them while doing their gold mining. And the KIA often recruits gold miners,” said Hsan Aung, a member from the PCG. His organisation is mediating for the release of two government staffers. 

It remains unknown when the fighting will end.

In an interview with Irrawaddy, KIA Major General Gun Maw, who recently finished his official trip to the US, suggested it would continue for some time.

“The KIO defines ‘independence’ as ‘freedom and liberty’. I said openly to [the government] that we have fought with them as we want independence. We want it and we will get it. But what we are discussing now is peaceful co-existence in Burma and equality for our people,” he said.

He continued to say that when making statements about independence, the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) - the political wing of the KIA - are making a point about how to coexist without seceding from Myanmar. The current ceasefire draft by the government requests all ethnic armed groups to pledge never to secede from the Union of Myanmar.

“Just give us a political situation that we, Kachin people, could accept,” added Gun Maw.

The Kachin have long waged a war of independence against Myanmar’s military dictatorship while other ethnic armed groups have shifted to seek a wider regional autonomy through a federal system.

But the general’s comment have raised concerns. 

“What is the meaning of freedom? He needs to clarify more. What I know is our Kachin people have no intention to establish a nation. The Kachin people only know to stay together within democracy practice and establish federal union,” said Injayan MP Dwe Bu from Kachin State.

“In the previous times, fighting occurred because the KIA kept insisting to establish an independent country. Now there will be more fighting due to the word freedom,” added Dwe Bu.

Ko Wa, a columnist for The People’s Age news, said “They fought for over 50 years and they made peace with the government for 17 years. There was no benefit in reality. On the other hand, number of Kachin refugees has increased due to the clashes. In that situation, they are not content and it is normal to have a thought that it is better to have absolute freedom. The current situation is forcing them to consider that way. It is not the answer for the whole nation or the Kachin State,” Ko Wa said.

Others speculated that his comments reflected the growing mistrust between ethnic groups and the government after the recent fighting in Kachin State. The KIO rejected many of the government’s proposals during the last peace talks in Yangon.

Other ethnic groups living in Kachin State, especially Shan communities, rejected that any mention of independence as an unacceptable notion. Many were worried that his comments will only cause more confusion and possibly continue the conflict.

“We don’t accept what Gun Maw said. We didn’t expect it and we are not breaking up from the union. Shan and Kachin are staying together in Kachin State. There are many Shan ethnics who are married with Kachin. We are concerned that confusion will occur because of what Gun Maw said,” said San Wai, who works for Shan affairs in Tarlawgyi village, Kachin State.

Ethnic Kachin in the state accounted for 39.3 per cent of total population, according to pre-census government figures. The remaining 60 per cent consists of other ethnic groups such as Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Bamar, Rakhine and Shan.