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A KIA fighter. / The Irrawaddy
By The Irrawaddy 17 Might 2022
The Kachin Independence Group (KIO), the political wing of the Kachin Independence Military (KIA), has mentioned that it’ll assault the junta-affiliated Border Guard Pressure (BGF) and pro-regime tribal militias in Kachin State.
A press release launched on Monday by the KIO data division accused the BGF and militias of disrupting the political and navy actions of the KIO and oppressing the individuals.
KIA data officer Colonel Naw Bu mentioned: “Police, individuals’s militias and BGF are shaped and armed by the regime. We view these armed teams as our enemy, as a result of they function beneath the command of the regime and are sometimes concerned in clashes.”
Some Kachin group elders who chair tribal cultural committees are main armed teams and cooperating with the regime militarily, as an alternative of doing their assigned duties to advertise their cultures, mentioned the KIA spokesperson.
“We gained’t blame them if they’re solely cooperating with the regime culturally. We don’t need to combat them. However as they’ve shaped armed teams of their capability because the cultural committee chairmen, we’ve issued this assertion to forestall pointless penalties among the many tribes,” added Col. Naw Bu.
Clashes will happen if junta-affiliated armed teams perform navy actions in areas managed by the KIA, mentioned the spokesperson.
A supply near the Kachin Area Folks’s Protection Pressure (PDF) claimed that BGF and pro-junta militia teams in Kachin State are concerned within the drug commerce and smuggling.
“BGFs are primarily based in Sadone and Sama [between Waingmaw Township and Kanpiketi]. [There is also a BGF group] led by Zakhung Ting Ying in Panwa [in Chipwi Township near the border with China]. They’re the pillars of the regime. BGF and militias are often concerned within the drug commerce, unlawful logging and every other criminality. Folks’s militias and Pyu Noticed Htee mustn’t exist. We are going to gladly welcome it if the KIA will assault them,” he mentioned.
Younger individuals from different ethnic teams in Kachin State such because the Shanni, Lisu, and Rawang are additionally preventing the regime alongside the KIA, in response to a supply near the Kachin Area PDF.
KIO district committees in Myitkyina, Hukaung, Tanai and Shinbweyang final week warned authorities workers of the regime to depart their workplaces as quickly as attainable or face penalties.
The supply near the Kachin Area PDF mentioned: “The regime is the frequent enemy of the nation. The BGF and militias who’re supporting the frequent enemy mustn’t exist and other people ought to help assaults in opposition to them. Junta workers in these areas ought to depart. The KIA and PDFs have a robust presence in these areas and junta workers will likely be in danger if the KIA and PDFs launch assaults there. They’d higher take sides with the individuals and run away.”
An ethnic affairs observer mentioned the KIO’s intention in releasing the assertion is to develop its territory.
“The BGF is at all times with the navy. There are teams primarily based in Phimaw, Kafan and Kanpiketi close to the Chinese language border. The tradition group [which the KIA] refers to is the Lisu group led by U Shwe Mi who’s a militia chief,” he mentioned.
Observers say the KIO’s assertion alerts growing assaults in opposition to the navy regime in Kachin State for territorial management.
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