Chins to join Kachin protests against Burma Army attacks
06 January 2013: Chin communities say they stand united with the Kachin in protesting against the ongoing military offensive launched by Burma Army soldiers in Kachin State, Burma.
Leaders of the Chin diaspora have urged to support a series of Kachin demonstrations planned to take place in front of the Burmese embassies and elsewhere in several countries next week.
A rally to call on Thein Sein’s government and Burma Army to immediately end military attacks and initiate genuine political dialogue is organized in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, London, UK and Washington DC, USA on 7, 10 and 12 January 2013 respectively.
Salai Mang Bik, from Malaysia, said two buses have been arranged to pick up Chin refugees joining the protest in Kuala Lumpur, adding: “One bus will be waiting in front of ACR (Alliance of Chin Refugees) office and another near CRC (Chin Refugee Committee).”
In Washington DC, dozens of Chins are to join the Kachin Alliance to call on the US government to put more pressure on Thein Sein’s administration to ‘stop crimes against ethnic nationalities’ in Burma.
Messages of sympathy, prayer and concern for the Kachin as well as victims of armed conflicts have been circulated by Chin people from both inside and outside of Burma.
The Chin National Front (CNF) strongly rejected military attacks by Burma Army soldiers in Kachin and Shan States as it called for a nationwide political dialogue with all ethnic nationalities.
In its statement released yesterday, CNF, a Chin armed group that has engaged in the peace-talk process since January last year, expressed deep disappointment with the Tatmadaw over recent deployment of heavy weapons, which imposes threat to building reconciliation and peace in the country.
The Kachin National Organization in the UK accused Thein Sein’s government of practising ‘zero-tolerance’ policy toward those who hold different opinions despite claiming the fact that it has changed in a democratic direction.
Burma’s government said in its official statement published in the New Light of Myanmar yesterday that the Tatmadaw had to take military action as self defense and in order to protect the safety of lives and properties of the people.
It also stated that the majority of the displaced persons fled their home because of the threat and disturbance made by KIA (Kachin Independence Army), a military arm of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).
Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang
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