KIO to Hold Meeting with Splinter Group

The Kachin Post

December 01, 2004 — Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, plans to hold a meeting on next Monday to discuss for detailed procedure of welcoming the splinter group led by Col Lasang Awng Wa. The meeting will also focus on proposed policy and strategy of Lasang Awng Wa group.

“The meeting is significant for unification of Kachin,” said KIO Gen-Sec Col Gunhtang Gam Shawng. “We [Kachin] can be healed and united by our ancestral tradition.”

The meeting is the one of the result of last month meeting in Myitkyina between KIO leaders, Lasang Awng Wa group, New Democratic Army-Kachin, NDA-K, and Kachin Consultative Assembly, KCA. On November 12, former KIO intelligence chief Col Lasang Awng Wa and his group had agreed to heal the split within the KIO with the help of KCA.

According to the KCA meeting statement released on November 12, Lasang Awng Wa group is no longer splinter group of KIO and the group’s members will be giving appropriate positions within KIO. The returning of Lasang Awng Wa group to the KIO headquarters will be accomplished before the end of 2004.

NDA-K is also giving support to Lasang Awng Wa group to return to KIO headquarters. Nearly 400 members of splinter group—KIO leaders said only several dozens members—deploy in the NDA-K control area. NDA-K leader Zahkung Ting Ying hosted Lasang Awng Wa group in May 2004.

The split within KIO became visible since January 2004 when Col Lasang Awng Wa and fellows fled from KIO headquarters, Pajau. Lasang Awng Wa was accused of plotting a coup attempt to overthrow the KIO leaders.

KIO signed a ceasefire agreement with Burmese military government in 1994 and promised to attend junta’s national convention to be held in February 2005.