The vice chairman of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) Lt-Gen N’ban La has landed in United States for weeks-long visit, marking the first KIO’s high ranking official visit to the North American country in two decades.Sources closed to KIO said, Lt-Gen N’ban La has scheduled to meet with high ranking U.S government officials, including the U.S Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Mr. Kurt Campbell as well as United Nations officials.
Meanwhile, KIO has launched “War on Drug” in Kachin State in northern Burma, striving to eradicate illicit drug trade and the use of narcotic drug amongst the people of Kachin State. In the early October 2010, KIO issued a statement, labeling the opium and narcotic drugs as the public enemy of Kachin State and gave warning to drug users, producers and trafficker to stop their activities on October 15, 2010. The statement also indicated that KIO will give harsh punishment up to death sentence for those who breach the KIO anti-drug law.
The Kachin Independence Organization and its armed wing Kachin Independence Army (KIA) had reached the ceasefire agreement with ruling Burma Army in 1994. However, Burma Army recently raided KIO’s liaison offices in Monyin and Hopin Township in Kachin State, detaining KIO liaison staffs. Analysts believed that Burma Army unilaterally breached the 1994 ceasefire agreement due to KIO’s continuous refusal of Burma Army proposal of transforming ethnic armies into Border Guard Force under Burma Army.
Kachins in United States said Lt-Gen N’ban La will have meetings with former KIO members and Kachins living in North America.
KIO was founded in 1961 for independence Kachinland. The organization recently joined armed alliance forces with other Burma’s ethnic armed groups; Karen National Union (KNU), New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Chin National Front and United Wa State Army, in preparation for major defense against Burma Army future military operation.
October 21,2010
The Kachin Post.
