August 2004

August 30 — A meeting to solve the problem within Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, will hold in this week in Maija Yang, on the Chinese-Kachin border. The meeting will be attended leaders of KIO, leaders of New Democratic Army-Kachin and representatives from Kachin Consultative Assembly, KCA, as well as Kachin National Organization leader Bawmwang La Raw.

August 25 — Christian Education Department under the Myitkyina District Kachin Baptist Convention held a music seminar on August 16-20 at Shatapru Baptist Church in Myitkyina. 23 youth attended the seminar.
August 23 — Geis Church football team won the cup of Myitkyina District Kachin Baptist Convention’s monsoon youth tournament with 7-1 against Manhkring Church team.

August 15 — Leader of New Democratic Army-Kachin, NDA-K, said he has no idea of solving the problem within Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, because of KIO leader’s unwillingness to solve the problem. NDA-K is helping to negotiate between KIO leaders and KIO reneged leader Col Lasang Awng Wa, who and his men are allow to stay and take military exercise in NDA-K control area in Pang Wa.

“It is better to solve our problems by ourselves,” said NDA-K leader Zahkung Ting Ying.

August 14 — Kachin Culture and Literature Association-Mandalay University today holds a culture exhibition and traditional fashion show in the city hall of Mandalay. Kachin students from Mandalay, Monywa and Meiktila University join the event.

August 11 — Kachin Independence Organization, or KIO, and New Democratic Army-Kachin, or NDA-K, has agreed to grant authority to Kachin Consultative Assembly for solving the problem within the KIO concerning to Col Lasang Awng Wa case. The agreement has been reached after the meeting between the leaders from the KIO and NDA-K on August 7 at KIO headquarters, Pajau.

August 9 — Burma has started constructing an underground museum to exhibit its world’s largest jade stone in the country’s northern Kachin State, 7 Days News Journal reported. The giant jade, measuring 21 meters long, 4.8 meters wide and 10.5 meters high, and weighing about 3,000 tons, was discovered in 2000 in Kachin State’s Phakant jade mine at a depth of 12 meters. The underground jade museum, which will be the first of its kind ever in the world, is being built on the spot where the jade was found as it is hard to move.

The stone was discovered by Pa-O National Organization’s, or PNO, mining firm Ruby Dragon Jade & Gems Co., Ltd. PNO chairman Aung Hkam Hti later donated the stone to Burmese military government’s Secretary 1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt on May 26, 2002.

August 8 — Three Kachin youth were arrested in front of the Burmese embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, today during the demonstration along with over 20 Burmese students to commemorate the 16 anniversary of 8888 democracy uprising. One of the detainees Jaw San Naw is a Bangkok representative of All Kachin Students and Youth Union, based in India.

August 6 — Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, and the Burma Media Association on Wednesday condemned the arrest of documentary film-maker Lazing La Htoi on 27 July in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, saying as “a new attempt to suppress the news” and called on the head of the Burmese military government, Senior-Gen. Than Shwe, to release him at once.

Lazing La Htoi, the owner of Htoi San Press in Myitkyina, recorded the footage of Myitkyina flood in July with his hand-held video camera and recorded 300 copies on to video compact disc, or VCD.

August 5 — A research team from Kachin Consultative Assembly, or KCA, met with Col. Lasang Awng Wa in Pang Wa, headquarters of New Democratic Army-Kachin, yesterday. Hkawng Je, Dingyau Zau Ing and N’hkum Tang from KCA asking questions about the root of the problems within the Kachin Independence Organization, or KIO, to Lasang Awng Wa and his men.

Lasang Awng Wa said that he explained the reason behind January 2004 coup attempt as well as February 2001 coup which ousted the former KIO leader Gen Zau Mai.

KCA formed in October 2002.