KIA Welcomes Soldier Deserters from Burma Army

16 June 2011: The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has announced it will give a warm welcome to any soldiers who would like to break up with Burma Army and form an alliance with them.

In a statement released this week, KIA said Burma Army soldiers fighting in the frontline of the ongoing unavoidable ‘armed conflict’ but willing to join in a league with the Kachin are to be received in conformity with the international laws.

The statement also stressed the Burma Army soldiers have no choice but to fight against their own will in the battlefield as ordered by a handful of authorities after leaving their beloved families and relatives behind.

KIA also admits that they are only an armed group fighting against the military junta for establishing a genuine Union of Burma and that the ‘inevitable’ situation is pushing them to go into war against the Burma Army soldiers in the front line.

Today, the United Nationalities Federal Council (Union of Burma) accused Burma’s new government of showing its true colours in trying to solve the country’s political problems by using military forces rather than finding solutions in non-violent political means.

As of today, at least six soldiers from Burma Army including one Lieutenant have been arrested by KIA, according to an interview with KIA Brigadier General Gun Maw by the Irrawaddy news.

Brig. Gen. Gun Maw added they are only in the state of defending themselves, and if the fighting keeps on going beyond the line then they just have to do whatever they can.”

The clashes between the Kachin Independence Army and Burma Army have started since last Thursday.

Yesterday, about 40 out of an estimated 80 Burma Army soldiers from the Light Infantry Battalion No. 266 based in Hakha Town, Chin State were injured with two killed in a road accident while reportedly heading for Kachin State.

Van Biak Thang
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