March 2005

March 31 — China’s State Forestry Administration is investigating charges that Singapore-based Asia Pulp & Paper Co., the world’s largest pulp producer, is conducting illegal logging in southwestern China forests, an official said Thursday, warning that violators would be punished.

March 28 — The Kachin Baptist Church, KBC, convened a two-week seminar in Myitkyina, northern Burma, on March 24th for trainers from Kachin Christian community to develop their training capacity.

The seminar was sponsored by the Rangoon-based American Center, which sent American teacher to the seminar. The KBC’s Leadership Training Committee is administering the seminar, which runs from March 24 to April 9.

March 22 — The newly formed Kachin Solidarity Council, KSC, held a press conference in Myitkyina, capital of the Kachin State, on last Friday, explaining the organization’s policy of promising to protect interest of Kachin people in accordance with the will of Burma’s military government.

Over a hundred Kachins attended the press conference held in the reception hall of the Young Men’s Christian Association, YMCA. Representative from the Myitkyina office of the Kachin Defense Army, which is a splinter group of the Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, also attended the press conference. Although they were invited, the Kachin Independence Organization and the Kachin Consultative Assembly boycotted the press conference. The KSC also invited the Myitkyina based northern commander of the Burmese army.

March 21 — The Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, amended its leadership, as the chief of staff of the Kachin Independence Army, KIA, Brigadier Gen N’ban La became the second deputy leader of the organization, according to the KIO. Former KIO general Secretary Col Gunhtang Gam Shawng will replace N’ban La as chief of staff for the KIA.

The appointments occurred on Friday, March 18. Both N’ban La and Gunhtang Gam Shawng, have also received military promotions and now hold the ranks of Lt Gen N’ban La and Brigadier Gen Gam Shawng.

March 18 — The Kachin Independence Organization’s, KIO, concluded its first ever leadership training course concluded yesterday in Laiza, Kachin State. The KIO will select graduates from this course to serve as administrators in the organization.

Eighty one Kachin youth from across the Kachin state participated in the eleven month training course, which began on April 6th of last year. The KIO Civil Administration Department conducted the training, which focused on the development of administrative skills and preparation for potential administrative appointment in the KIO.

March 16 — The Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, has denied ordering its troops to arrest members of a splinter group led by former KIO intelligence Chief Col. Lasang Awng Wa and branding them as an enemy, according to KIO statement released on Saturday.

A report from the KIO splinter group says that KIO handed out a statement declaring war on the splinter group. The group split from the KIO in January 2004, after an alleged coup attempt at KIO headquarters. Later, the splinter group took refuge in Pang Wa, Kachin State, which is under the control of the New Democratic Army-Kachin, NDA-K, another ethnic-Kachin ceasefire group.

March 11 — The Ethnic Nationalities Council, or ENC, a Burmese opposition group based in Thailand, urged the Burmese military government to adopt their propositions as a means to reach a political solution, according to a statement released by the ENC on last Saturday.

ENC released a statement after concluding a two day meeting in Kawthoolei, Karen National Union control area near Thai-Burma border. During the meeting, ENC members, advisor and Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity and Coordination Committee, or ENSCC, members discussed the current political situation in Burma.

March 10 — The Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, welcomed the return of seven youth members from a two year journey on March 1st at its headquarters in Kachin State. Ten members initially set out to participate in military training exercises conducted by the Shan State Army-South, SSA-S, but their trip was prolonged by political turmoil within the ranks of the Kachin leadership.

In March 2003, the Kachin Independence Army, KIA, dispatched ten members to participate in military training exercises with five other ethnic resistance groups in an area under the control of the SSA-S near Thailand, according to KIO sources. Three of the ten KIO members remained in KNPP as members of the Thailand based Kachin National Organization, KNO, members.

March 2 — Kachin political groups have formed the Kachin Solidarity Council, KSC, in an attempt to heal recent rifts by unifying Kachins and to promote the interests of Kachins in accordance with the military government’s policies for national reconciliation.

The Kachin Solidarity Council was secretly formed in Pang Wa, the NDA-K headquarters, on January 24, 2005, and released a statement on February 11. The KSC also includes both a Joint Military Commission and Joint Economic Commission to coordinate cooperation among its founding organizations. However, the statement veiled the names of founding members.