Kachin conflict explained

Conflict:Kachin conflict
Partof:the internal conflict in Myanmar
Date:First conflict: 5 February 1961 – 24 February 1994

Second conflict: 9 June 2011 – present
Place:Kachin State and northern Shan State
Status:Ongoing
  • Ceasefire signed between the government of Myanmar and the Kachin Independence Army in 1994
  • Resumption of hostilities in 2011 after the 17-year ceasefire is broken
Combatant1:
Combatant2:---- Communist Party of Burma
New Democratic Army – Kachin (1989–2009)
Shanni Nationalities Army
Commander1:
Commander2:
Units1: Tatmadaw
      • 33rd Light Infantry Division[2]
  • [3]
Units2:
Strength1: 20,000
Strength2:
  • 10,000–12,000 (2013)[4]
  • 200 (2013)[5]
Casualties3:Since 2011:
+ killed[6]
100,000+ civilians displaced[7] [8]
Notes: Briefly clashed with the KIA from 1971 to 1972.

The Kachin conflict or the Kachin War is one of the multiple conflicts which are collectively referred to as the internal conflict in Myanmar. Kachin insurgents have been fighting against the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) since 1961, with only one major ceasefire being brokered between them, which lasted from 1994 to 2011, a total of 17 years.

Since the resumption of hostilities in 2011, thousands of civilians have been killed, whilst over 100,000 more have been displaced. Widespread use of landmines,[9] child soldiers,[9] [10] systematic rape[9] and torture have been alleged by both sides.[9] [11]

Background

The Kachin people (or the Jingpo) are a confederation of six ethnic groups whose homeland encompasses territory in the Kachin Hills of northern Myanmar, in Yunnan and Northeast India. Following Burmese independence from the United Kingdom, many ethnic minorities, including the Kachins, campaigned for self-determination and independence.

Shortly after the country's independence, the Karen conflict broke out in 1949. The leader of the First Kachin Rifles, Naw Seng, was ordered to attack the Karen National Union (KNU)'s capital at Taungoo. He swapped sides and helped the KNU attack Mandalay. After the central government successfully pushed back the KNU after the Battle of Insein, Naw Seng and the First Kachin Rifles headed into northern Shan State to attempt to capture Lashio.[12] On 15 November 1949, the Pawng Yawng National Defence Force was formed in Kutkai, with goal of spreading a Kachin rebellion amongst ethnic Kachins in Shan and Kachin State. Over the next two months, the Pawng Yawng rebellion captured Lashio and Namhkam, Shan State but failed to muster support amongst the Kachin populace. Eventually in April 1950, Naw Seng and his troops fled into China following talks with Kachin leaders who remained in support of the central government.

The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) was founded by dissidents in 1960 as a result of the grievances which existed between the majority-Bamar union government and the Kachin people. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was established as its armed wing in 1961, acting as a private army with 27 members. In the early 1960s the KIA began expanding and increasing in numbers, especially after the 1962 Burmese coup d'état and its perceived threat by ethnic minorities.

First conflict (1961–1994)

In January 1960, then Prime Minister Ne Win, signed a border agreement exchanging land along the China–Myanmar border, including returning three Kachin villages near Hpimaw to China. Then in 1961, Prime Minister U Nu made Buddhism the state religion and caused dissent amongst Christian Kachin nationalists. On 7 March 1961, a group of Kachin nationalists led by Zau Tu and associated with the newly formed Kachin Independence Organisation raided the Lashio treasury, starting the outbreak of the Kachin conflict as the attacks grew into increasingly organized opposition.

Following the unilateral abrogation of the Union of Burma's constitution by General Ne Win and his regime in 1962, many Kachin soldiers in the Tatmadaw (armed forces) defected and joined the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The KIA did not only fight government soldiers, but occasionally clashed with communists outside and inside their own ranks. The Communist Party of Burma (CPB) had periodically been the KIA's ally and enemy during different years, and a communist-backed faction split from the KIA in 1989, becoming the New Democratic Army - Kachin (NDA-K).

Aside from its major towns and railway corridor, KIA-controlled areas in Kachin State remained virtually independent and isolated from the rest of Myanmar from the mid-1960s through 1994, with an economy based on cross-border jade trade with China and narcotics trafficking.

After a military offensive by the Myanmar Army in 1994 seized most of the jade mines in Kachin State, the KIA signed a ceasefire agreement with the then-ruling SLORC military junta on 24 February 1994, which resulted in an end to large-scale fighting that lasted until June 2011.

Second conflict (2011–present)

2011

Armed clashes erupted between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Myanmar Army on 9 June 2011, when government forces broke the ceasefire and attacked KIA positions along the Taping River east of Bhamo, Kachin State, near the Taping hydroelectric plant. Fighting occurred throughout Kachin State, as well as northwestern parts of Shan State.[13]

According to news reports, the recent fighting broke out as a result of the Burmese government's attempts to seize KIA-controlled areas, which are located around lucrative energy projects in Kachin and Shan State backed by the Chinese government.[14] Despite a December 2011 statement by Myanmar's President Thein Sein that he had ordered the Myanmar Army to cease its offensive in Kachin State, the conflict continued into 2012.[15]

2012

In 2012, the largest battles of the reignited conflict occurred in March, along the Myitkyina–Bhamo road.[13] In April, the battle for Pangwa in Chipwi Township near Luchang was fought between the KIA and the government soldiers. Clashes erupted again in late April, when the KIA launched an offensive to capture Burmese military posts around Pangwa. The KIA offensive succeeded and the Myanmar Army retreated from the area by the end of April.[16] [17] [18] In August, the KIA claimed that 140 government troops were killed when they exploded mines buried inside the Myauk Phyu ("White Monkey") jade mine, which was owned by the Wai Aung Kaba Company.[19]

2013

Fortified KIA positions were heavily damaged by airstrikes and artillery launched by the Myanmar Army from December 2012 to January 2013.

On 2 January 2013, the Burmese government confirmed that it carried out airstrikes a few days earlier against the ethnic rebels in northern Kachin, in response to attacks by the Kachin Independence Army.[20] The US government stated that it would "be formally expressing our concern" over the escalation of force used by Myanmar government.[21] On 3 January 2013, the KIA alleged that air-strikes had continued to occur for the sixth consecutive day in the area around Laiza and there were allegations that the Myanmar Armed Forces was also using chemical weapons[22] UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated following the incidents that Burma's authorities should "desist from any action that could endanger the lives of civilians living in the area or further intensify conflict in the region".[23]

2014

On 14 June 2014, KIA insurgents captured two hydroelectric plants and took six government soldiers and several Chinese workers hostage for several hours, before the Myanmar Army stormed the buildings. A total of six people were killed and four others were wounded in the incident.

On 19 November 2014, government soldiers attacked the KIA's headquarters near Laiza, killing at least 22 insurgents.[24]

Ceasefire attempts

Numerous rounds of ceasefire talks have taken place between the Kachin Independence Army and the government of Myanmar since fighting resumed in June 2011. According to an 18 December 2012 report by Swedish journalist Bertil Lintner in the Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online, many people have criticised the foreign backed ceasefire efforts for "avoiding discussions of political issues and only emphasizing ceasefires, disarmament and economic development, those interlocutors—including a 'Peace Support Initiative' sponsored by the Norwegian government and in a separate initiative the Switzerland-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue—are essentially promoting the government's view". The Australian reported that some Kachin Business leaders were calling on Aung San Suu Kyi to help mediate the dispute[15] and on 6 January 2012, Aung San Suu Kyi said that she could not step into the negotiations without an official invitation from the government to do so, which she had not received.[25]

2013 ceasefire talks

On 18 January 2013, immediately prior to an international donors conference in Myanmar, President Thein Sein announced a unilateral ceasefire in the war between the army and the KIO.[26] The ceasefire was said to take effect the following day, on 19 January, but light fighting was also reported the following day[27] and a full-scale government assault was reportedly launched on 20 January and included "sustained mortar and artillery fire" followed by "hundreds of Burmese troops" storming a KIA base on the outskirts of rebel-held town of Laiza.[28]

The government of Thein Sein was reported to be under pressure from "political and business circles" who believed the "escalating conflict would undermine Myanmar's emergence from decades of diplomatic isolation" and had passed a resolution in parliament calling on Min Aung Hlaing, the military's commander-in-chief, to scale down the war.[29] Min Aung Hlaing responded by stating that the military would only carry out attacks only in "self-defense"—the rationale it has consistently given since December 2011[30] for prosecuting a war against the KIA and the rationale it gave for allowing airstrikes on rebel positions starting on 26 December 2012.[31]

On 4 February, Burmese government and the Kachin Independence Army met in Ruili, China and agreed to reduce military tension in Kachin State and hold further peace talks later in February.[32] However no talks took place later in February but almost no armed clash reportedly happened in Kachin State after the peace talks.[33] According to Mizzima News, on 26 February a KIO central committee member claimed that they would not be meeting with the government in February because they needed more time to consult with the "Kachin people" regarding the negotiations.[34] Burmese government and KIA renewed peace talks in Ruili, China on 11 March 2013.[35] The Kachin Peace Network has claimed that the Chinese government's refusal to allow observers from western countries at peace talks had delayed negotiations, although the Chinese rejected the allegations.[36] [37]

On 30 May, Burmese government and Kachin Independence Army signed a preliminary ceasefire agreement that would lead to further progress towards reaching a peace deal. The parties however, failed to reach an official ceasefire agreement. United Nations special adviser on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, also joined the meeting as an observer, along with representatives of China and other ethnic minorities.[38] [39]

However, the Burmese government and Kachin Independence Army failed to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement after several peace talks in 2013, but agreed to work together towards permanent ceasefire agreement and reduce hostilities.[40] [41]

2014 ceasefire talks

Renewed fighting broke out in April 2014 when the Burmese army attacked various KIA positions around Mansi Township, Kachin State and northern Shan State to eradicate timber smuggling and to control strategic routes around their strongholds.[42] The Kachin Independence Army requested a meeting in Myitkyina on 10 May to lessen tensions between the sides.[43]

Negotiations aimed at drafting a nationwide ceasefire agreement began in April 2014 at the Myanmar Peace Centre between representatives of various ethnic armed groups and the Burmese government, but the KIA and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) were not among the negotiators.[43] [44]

The KIA's deputy commander-in-chief Gun Maw urged the United States to get involved in the peace process in April 2014.[45]

2018

In March 2018, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) launched airstrikes against the KIA in Tanai Township, which is part of a large mining region.[46]

Between 1 and 6 April 2018, Tatmadaw soldiers allegedly attacked KIA positions in the KIA-controlled Mansi Township, though no reports of fighting emerged from the region. The KIA later raided the Tatmadaw's Battalion 86 military base in Hpakant Township on 6 April 2018, killing eight government soldiers and capturing 13.[47] By 10 April 2018, locals claimed that 18 Tatmadaw soldiers and three KIA insurgents had been killed in the clashes.[48]

Accusations of abuses perpetrated by the Tatmadaw against civilians emerged in March and April 2018,[49] which included allegations that Tatmadaw soldiers specifically targeted and killed two Kachin[50] and six Shanni farmers.[51] Several civilians were also wounded in the crossfire.[52]

By May 2018, 6,000 IDPs had fled armed clashes and shelling by the Myanmar Army, whilst hundreds more remained trapped in villages caught between the crossfire. Hunger became a prevalent issue for IDPs, with some resorting to eating banana stems.[53]

2021–present

After the 2021 Myanmar coup, the KIA has refused to recognize the military regime and soon clashes have resumed between the KIA and regime troops.

On 25 March, the KIA seized the military base of Alaw Bum near Laiza, which they had lost for over 20 years. On 11 April, the junta military launched an attack to recapture the base using airstrikes and ground troops.[54] The military suffered heavy casualties and had to retreat after a three days battle.[55]

On 3 May, the Kachin Independence Army said they have shot down a government helicopter near the town of Momauk following days of air raids.[56]

On 7 May, KIA spokesman claimed the military has suffered casualties after regime fighter jets mistakenly dropped bombs at their own troops in Momauk Township.[57]

On 18 May, the KIA ambushed a military convoy and destroyed six tanker trucks near Kutkai Township.[58]

On 22 May, the KIA attacked military positions, and jade mining sites owned by the Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL) in Namtsit Bum in Hkamti Township.[59]

On 25 May, fighting flared up between the KIA and junta troops in Momauk Township, forcing civilians to flee from military shellings.[60]

On 30 May, the KIA joined the anti-coup People's Defence Force (PDF) battling junta troops in Katha Township, killing eight regime soldiers. Fighting was also continuing in Putao, Hpakant and Momauk Township.[61]

Civilians and refugees

Civilians have also been killed in fighting as well as having been specifically targeted.[11] Civilians were often displaced by fighting and faced dangers such as landmines which were frequently laid by government and rebel forces without regard for civilians. Although some civilians had crossed the border with China most remained in northern Burma as of December 2012.

According to Human Rights Watch, refugees were being forced by the Chinese government back into Myanmar in August 2012 despite the continued fighting there and the illegality of forcibly returning civilians to war zones under international law.[62] [63] Women have played a significant role in the conflict as both combatants and victims. Time Magazine documented the presence of many female KIA soldiers in 2012.[64]

In February 2013 the NGO Kachin Women's Association Thailand (KWAT) reported that the fighting had created over 100,000 refugees and that 364 villages had been wholly or partially abandoned since 2011.[65] The organisation's report also stated that the Burmese Army deliberately attacked refugee camps and villages as well as committed alleged "war crimes" such as the rape and murder of civilians.[65]

The United Nations stated on 28 April 2018 that more than 4,000 people were displaced since armed clashes resumed earlier in the month.[66]

Child soldiers

Child soldiers are a major part of the Myanmar Army's and insurgent groups' soldiers. The Independent reported in June 2012 that children were being sold to the Burmese military for "as little as $40 and a bag of rice or a can of petrol".[67] The UN's Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, who stepped down from her position a week later, met representatives of the Government of Myanmar on 5 July 2012, and stated that she hoped the government's signing of an action plan would "signal a transformation".[68]

In September 2012, the Tatmadaw (armed forces) released 42 child soldiers and the International Labour Organization met with representatives of the government as well as the Kachin Independence Army to secure the release of more child soldiers.[69] According to Samantha Power, a US delegation raised the issue of child soldiers with the government in October 2012, however, she did not comment on the government's progress towards reform in this area.[70] A Bangkok Post article on 23 December 2012, reported that the Myanmar Armed Forces continued to use child soldiers including during the army's large offensive against the KIA.[10]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Kumbun. Joe. Analysis: KIO Kicks Off New Year with New Leadership. 14 March 2018. The Irrawaddy. 2 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180314061848/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/analysis-kio-kicks-off-new-year-new-leadership.html. 14 March 2018. live.
  2. News: Nickerson . James . The Kachin IDP crisis: Myanmar's other humanitarian disaster . 3 December 2018 . Al Jazeera . 2 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181203091742/https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/kachin-idp-crisis-myanmar-humanitarian-disaster-181202225600024.html . 3 December 2018 . live .
  3. News: Branigan. Tania. Aung San Suu Kyi calls for ceasefire in Burma's Kachin region. 12 March 2018. The Guardian. 17 January 2013. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180312144719/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/17/aung-san-suu-kyi-burma-kachin-ceasefire. 12 March 2018. live.
  4. Web site: Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) Myanmar Peace Monitor. mmpeacemonitor.org. Myanmar Peace Monitor. 12 March 2018. en-gb. https://web.archive.org/web/20180312204620/http://mmpeacemonitor.org/stakeholders/stakeholders-overview/155-kio. 12 March 2018. dead. 6 June 2013.
  5. Web site: All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) Myanmar Peace Monitor. mmpeacemonitor.org. Myanmar Peace Monitor. 12 March 2018. en-gb. https://web.archive.org/web/20180310081946/http://mmpeacemonitor.org/stakeholders/stakeholders-overview/154-absdf. 10 March 2018. dead. 6 June 2013.
  6. Web site: Government of Myanmar (Burma) - KIO . ucdp.uu.se . Uppsala Conflict Data Program . 6 November 2023 . 7 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220407080426/https://ucdp.uu.se/statebased/461 . live .
  7. News: Myanmar Soldiers Sentenced for Killing 3 Civilians in Kachin. 12 March 2018. Associated Press. The New York Times. 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180312144803/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/world/asia/myanmar-soldiers-sentenced-kachin.html. 12 March 2018. live.
  8. News: EU: Democracy fails to bring peace in Kachin. 12 March 2018. The Myanmar Times. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180312144753/https://www.mmtimes.com/news/eu-democracy-fails-bring-peace-kachin.html. 12 March 2018. live.
  9. Web site: Untold Miseries. Human Rights Watch. 19 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924184223/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/burma0312ForUpload_1_0.pdf. 24 September 2015. live.
  10. Web site: No end in sight amid season of slaughter | Bangkok Post: news . Bangkok Post . 23 December 2012 . 19 February 2015.
  11. Web site: Barriers to Reform in Myanmar: Displacement of Civilians in Kachin State. Oxmofm.com. 19 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20130228013807/http://oxmofm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Pattison-FINAL.pdf. 28 February 2013. dead.
  12. Book: Smith, Martin . [{{google books |plainurl=y |id=ui9zQgAACAAJ&newbks=0}} Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity ]. 1999-06-01 . Bloomsbury Academic . 978-1-85649-660-5 . en. 118.
  13. Web site: Burma army buildup near Laiza suggests push for KIO capital . Kachin news . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141208172352/http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2269-burma-army-buildup-near-laiza-suggests-push-for-kio-capital.html . 8 December 2014 . live .
  14. Web site: Kachin army ambush leaves 30 dead . DVB Multimedia Group . 8 July 2011 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150219172856/http://www.dvb.no/news/kachin-army-ambush-leaves-30-dead/16494 . 19 February 2015 . dead .
  15. News: Suu Kyi 'should' help with Kachin . The Australian . 19 February 2015 . 5 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130106015825/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/suu-kyi-should-help-with-kachin/story-fn3dxix6-1226548136647 . 6 January 2013 . live .
  16. Web site: Fighting between KIO and army continues in Chipwe, Pangwa . Kachinnews.com . 25 February 2013 . 12 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045845/http://www.kachinnews.com/~kngenmvs/news/2487-fighting-between-kio-and-army-continues-in-chipwe-pangwa.html . 4 March 2016 . live .
  17. Web site: KIO tightens grip on former NDA-K stronghold Pangwa . Kachinnews.com . 12 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121111094639/http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2285-kio-tightens-grip-on-former-nda-k-stronghold-pangwa.html . 11 November 2012 . live .
  18. Web site: Kachin rebel forces seize Pangwa . Conflictsinburma.crowdmap.com . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150219173302/https://conflictsinburma.crowdmap.com/reports/view/821 . 19 February 2015 . live .
  19. News: KIA says 211 army soldiers die in two-month fighting in Hpakant. 12 March 2018. kachinnews.com. 10 October 2012. en-gb. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225223204/http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2418-kia-says-211-army-soldiers-die-in-two-month-fighting-in-hpakant.html. 25 December 2017. dead.
  20. News: Burma Admits Air Strikes Targeted Kachin Rebels. 3 January 2013. Voice of America. 2 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130105194235/http://www.voanews.com/content/burma-admits-air-strikes-targeted-kachin-rebels/1576299.html. 5 January 2013. live.
  21. Web site: Daily Press Briefing – January 2, 2013 . State.gov . 2 January 2013 . 19 February 2015 . 25 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221025221702/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2013/01/202436.htm#BURMA . live .
  22. Web site: Weng . Lawi . ILO in Talks with Kachins over Child Soldiers . 5 September 2012. 4 February 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140410072040/http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/22883 . 10 April 2014 .
  23. News: Lindsay Murdoch . Burmese military admits air strike on rebels . The Age . 19 February 2015 . Melbourne . https://web.archive.org/web/20141216185146/http://www.theage.com.au/world/burmese-military-admits-air-strike-on-rebels-20130103-2c77a.html . 16 December 2014 . live .
  24. Web site: Myanmar's Kachin Rebels Say 22 Dead in Fighting. . 19 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141122090332/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmars-kachin-rebels-22-dead-attack-27023038. 22 November 2014. live.
  25. Web site: Suu Kyi refuses to intervene in Kachin conflict . 7 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130108165602/http://mizzima.com/special/kachin-battle-report/8695-suu-kyi-refuses-to-intervene-in-kachin-conflict.html . 8 January 2013 . dead .
  26. Web site: Kachin Ceasefire Ignored . Radio Free Asia . 19 February 2015 . 5 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405171143/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/kachin-01192013175226.html . live .
  27. News: A Cease-Fire With Rebels in Myanmar Doesn't Hold. The New York Times. 19 February 2015. Thomas. Fuller. 19 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130327054532/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/world/asia/cease-fire-in-myanmar-with-kachin-rebels-fails-to-take-hold.html?_r=0. 27 March 2013. live.
  28. News: BBC News – Burma attack breaks Kachin truce near China border . BBC . 20 January 2013 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160811092713/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21107440 . 11 August 2016 . live .
  29. Web site: Robinson . Gwen . Myanmar's military to end Kachin attacks - FT.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20130121183737/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/458cdcba-618d-11e2-82cd-00144feab49a.html . dead . 21 January 2013 . 18 January 2013 . 12 March 2018.
  30. Web site: Hope and suspicion dog Myanmar cease-fire . United Press International . 13 January 2012 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141013191720/http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/01/13/Hope-and-suspicion-dog-Myanmar-cease-fire/UPI-22521326469272/#ixzz2IZEDRwWR . 13 October 2014 . live .
  31. Web site: Govt says Kachin air strikes 'self-defence' – DVB Multimedia Group . Dvb.no . 4 January 2013 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010015343/http://www.dvb.no/news/govt-says-kachin-air-strikes-self-defence/25551 . 10 October 2014 . dead .
  32. Web site: Myanmar govt, KIO agree to reduce 'tension', hold more talks . Mmtimes.com . 5 February 2013. 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429235128/http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/4014-myanmar-govt-kio-agree-to-reduce-tension-hold-more-talks.html . 29 April 2014 . live .
  33. News: Myanmar military denies scaling up operations in conflict areas. 13 March 2013. Eleven. 12 March 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130315054112/http://elevenmyanmar.com/politics/2764-myanmar-military-denies-scaling-up-operations-in-conflict-areas. 15 March 2013. dead.
  34. Web site: KIO postpones talks with govt peace committee . 6 February 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130226120711/http://mizzima.com/special/kachin-battle-report/8966-kio-postpones-talks-with-govt-peace-committee.html . 26 February 2013 .
  35. News: Myanmar government and Kachin rebels renew talks. 13 March 2013. Channel NewsAsia. 11 March 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130312184107/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1259176/1/.html. 12 March 2013. live.
  36. News: Toe Lwin. Ei Ei. Questions over China's role after delay in talks. 26 April 2013. The Myanmar Times. 22 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130425075831/http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/in-depth/6463-questions-over-china-s-role-after-delay-in-talks.html. 25 April 2013. live.
  37. News: McLaughlin. Tim McLaughlin. Blame game over Kachin peace talk delays. 26 April 2013. The Myanmar Times. 25 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429221013/http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/6520-kachin-peace-talks-face-delays.html. 29 April 2014. live.
  38. News: Preliminary ceasefire reached through Kachin talks. 30 May 2013. The Myanmar Times. 30 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130614010136/http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/6928-preliminary-ceasefire-reached-through-kachin-talks.html. 14 June 2013. live.
  39. News: Nyein Nyein. KIO, Govt Sign Preliminary Agreement, Hopeful of Reaching Ceasefire. 30 May 2013. The irrawaddt. 30 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130530171436/http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/36003. 30 May 2013. live.
  40. Web site: Kachin Peace Talks Close Without Cease-Fire Pact . Radio Free Asia . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141009223009/http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/kachin-10102013192125.html . 9 October 2014 . live .
  41. Web site: Myanmar Peace Center : Media Release . JPG . Mmpeacemonitor.org . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160204081714/http://mmpeacemonitor.org/images/images/20131008-10_mpc_released_a_statement_for_kio_and_govt_talks.jpg . 4 February 2016 . live .
  42. Web site: Kachin conflict damaging trust in peace talks . Eleven Myanmar . 23 April 2014 . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429223240/http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5811:kachin-conflict-damaging-trust-in-peace-talks&catid=32:politics&Itemid=354 . 29 April 2014 . live .
  43. Web site: Kachin Rebels Requests Ceasefire Meeting After Recent Clashes. Irrawaddy.org. 29 April 2014. 29 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429212746/http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/kachin-rebels-requests-ceasefire-meeting-recent-clashes.html. 29 April 2014. live.
  44. Web site: Rangoon ceasefire talks a 'historic situation', says Gun Maw | DVB Multimedia Group . Dvb.no . 6 April 2014 . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140414043047/https://www.dvb.no/news/rangoon-ceasefire-talks-a-historic-situation-says-gun-maw-burma-myanmar/39373 . 14 April 2014 . dead .
  45. Web site: Pennington . Matthew . WASHINGTON: Myanmar rebel leader urges US role in peace talks | National Politics . NewsObserver.com . 22 April 2014 . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429231445/http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/04/22/3801662/myanmar-rebel-leader-urges-us.html . 29 April 2014 . live .
  46. News: Mark. Eugene. The 'Resource War' in Kachin State. 15 April 2018. The Diplomat. 16 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190501/https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/the-resource-war-in-kachin-state/. 15 April 2018. live.
  47. News: Weng. Lawi. KIA Raids Tatmadaw Base, Claims to Detain More than a Dozen Troops. 15 April 2018. The Irrawaddy. 9 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415091216/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/kia-raids-tatmadaw-base-claims-detain-dozen-troops.html. 15 April 2018. live.
  48. News: Thar. Chan. UN appeals to fighters to spare civilians. 15 April 2018. The Myanmar Times. 10 April 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190341/https://www.mmtimes.com/news/un-appeals-fighters-spare-civilians.html. 15 April 2018. live.
  49. News: Hay. Wayne. 'I feel helpless': Abuses plague Myanmar's Kachin conflict. 15 April 2018. Al Jazeera. 27 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180414194630/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/03/i-feel-helpless-abuses-plague-myanmars-kachin-conflict-180327090110375.html. 14 April 2018. live.
  50. News: Lwin. Nan. Pwint. Hnin. Army Brings Case Against Relative of 2 Kachin Villagers Allegedly Killed by Soldiers. 15 April 2018. The Irrawaddy. 29 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180414152502/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/army-brings-case-relative-2-kachin-villagers-allegedly-killed-soldiers.html. 14 April 2018. live.
  51. News: Six Shan Ni farmers missing after clashes in Kachin State. 15 April 2018. Mizzima. 13 April 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415062152/http://www.mizzima.com/news-domestic/six-shan-ni-farmers-missing-after-clashes-kachin-state. 15 April 2018. live.
  52. News: Myanmar villagers caught in crossfire as Kachin conflict flares. 15 April 2018. United Nations High Commission for Refugees. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190356/http://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2018/4/5acb37464/myanmar-villagers-caught-crossfire-kachin-conflict-flares.html. 15 April 2018. live.
  53. News: Lewis. Simon. Moon. Sam Aung. Myanmar's northern offensive against rebels sparks youthful revolt. 11 May 2018. Reuters. 11 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180511141237/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-kachin/myanmars-northern-offensive-against-rebels-sparks-youthful-revolt-idUSKBN1IC1LV. 11 May 2018. live.
  54. Web site: Junta's armed forces launch attack to reclaim base seized by KIA. Myanmar NOW. 1 June 2021. 3 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603024127/https://www.myanmar-now.org/en/news/juntas-armed-forces-launch-attack-to-reclaim-base-seized-by-kia. live.
  55. Web site: Myanmar Troops Sustain Heavy Casualties as Kachin Keep Control of Strategic Base. 14 April 2021. The Irrawaddy. 1 June 2021. 17 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230317183459/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-troops-sustain-heavy-casualties-kachin-keep-control-strategic-base.html. live.
  56. Web site: Myanmar rebels say they downed military helicopter. Al Jazeera. 1 June 2021. 25 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221025220808/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/3/myanmar-rebels-say-they-downed-military-helicopter. live.
  57. Web site: Myanmar Military Takes Heavy Casualties in Kachin State Fighting. 7 May 2021. The Irrawaddy. 1 June 2021. 14 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230314233604/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-military-takes-heavy-casualties-in-kachin-state-fighting.html. live.
  58. Web site: New clashes break out between KIA, regime forces in northern Shan State. Myanmar NOW. 1 June 2021. 15 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230315021821/https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/new-clashes-break-out-between-kia-regime-forces-in-northern-shan-state. live.
  59. Web site: Myanmar ethnic army attacks jade mining town: Media. 22 May 2021. The Straits Times. 1 June 2021. 30 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221130025719/http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/myanmar-ethnic-army-attacks-jade-mining-town-media. live.
  60. Web site: Hundreds of Kachin State Villagers Flee Myanmar Junta Artillery Strikes. 25 May 2021. The Irrawaddy. 1 June 2021. 8 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221208225557/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/hundreds-of-kachin-state-villagers-flee-myanmar-junta-artillery-strikes.html. live.
  61. Web site: Myanmar Junta Forces and KIA in Fresh Fighting in Northern Myanmar. 31 May 2021. The Irrawaddy. 1 June 2021. 2 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210602234925/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-forces-and-kia-in-fresh-fighting-in-northern-myanmar.html. live.
  62. News: BBC News – China 'forcing Kachin refugees back to Burma' . BBC . 24 August 2012 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160502154040/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19365075 . 2 May 2016 . live .
  63. Web site: China: Refugees Forcibly Returned to Burma | Human Rights Watch . Human Rights Watch . 24 August 2012 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150219183920/http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/24/china-refugees-forcibly-returned-burma . 19 February 2015 . live .
  64. On the Front Lines with the Kachin Independence Army – LightBox . Time . 19 April 2012 . 19 February 2015 . Joe . Jackson . https://web.archive.org/web/20150219173027/http://lightbox.time.com/2012/04/19/kia/#ixzz2FgswYz5J . 19 February 2015 . dead .
  65. Web site: Kachin Women's Association Thailand – State terror in the Kachin hills . Kachinwomen.com . 19 February 2015 . dead . https://archive.today/20130411051706/http://www.kachinwomen.com/publications/reports/105-state-terror-in-the-kachin-hills-.html . 11 April 2013 .
  66. News: Myanmar violence: Thousands flee fresh fighting in Kachin state. BBC. 21 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703064359/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43933332. 3 July 2018. live.
  67. News: Jerome Taylor . Two Burmese children a week conscripted into military – Asia – World . The Independent . 19 June 2012 . 19 February 2015 . London . https://web.archive.org/web/20141026003058/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/two-burmese-children-a-week-conscripted-into-military-7858858.html . 26 October 2014 . live .
  68. Web site: Press Conference on Action Plan to End Recruitment of Child Soldiers in Myanmar | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases . United Nations . 5 July 2012 . 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140805022504/http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2012/120705_Guest.doc.htm . 5 August 2014 . live .
  69. News: Leng . Lawi . ILO in Talks with Kachins over Child Soldiers . 5 September 2012 . 5 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130105023630/http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/13354 . 5 January 2013 .
  70. Web site: Samantha Power . Supporting Human Rights in Burma | The White House . 9 November 2012. 19 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170122060757/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2012/11/09/supporting-human-rights-burma . 22 January 2017 . . . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Kachin conflict".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.