Kachin State Day Celebrates
January 9, 2005

The Kachin Post Reporters/ Myitkyina

Celebration of 57th anniversary of Kachin State Day has been underway for six days at Shatapru Manau compound in Myitkyina, Kachin State of northern Burma. The celebration begins on January 5.

Delegates from Kachin Independence Organization, KIO, New Democratic Army-Kachin, NDA-K, Kachin Defense Army, KDA, Burma Army’s northern command and Chinese guests are celebrating the festival. Over a hundred Kachin from China and foreigners also participate the State Day anniversary.

State Day celebration is organized by Kachin Culture Oragnization and spending a budget of over 40 million kyat (US $ 42,000).

Public Manau dancing events will be held on tomorrow. Every year Kachin people celebrate Kachin State day on January 10.

Kachin State Day becomes six days after Burma gained independence from British rule. Burma becomes independence country on January 4, 1948.

Over a million people living in Kachin State measured about 33,903 square miles, second largest State in Burma. Majority Kachin people are living together with Burma, Shan and other ethnic people in Kachin State. The Kachin land become part of Burma after British occupied Burma. Before that Kachin had its own sovereignty.

Kachin State is bordered with Peoples Republic of China in the East, Democratic Republic of India in the West, Tibet in the North and Burma in the South. About 50% of the total area of the Kachin State covers with hills and mountains up to 5,881 meters above the sea level. Kachin State is rich in natural resources. Jades and teak-timbers are the best in quality, and production of gold per unit area is the highest, in the world. The land is covered with undisturbed-natural forests. The rarest natural species like Black Orchids, White Pheasants, and golden fishes in the confluence of Mali and Nmai rivers are observed.