Top KIO Post Reshuffled
March 21, 2005

The Kachin Post

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.

The decision to change the leadership, according to N’ban La’s personal assistant, is aimed at improving the operation of the KIO, rather than a response to any specific event. The new KIA chief of staff will coordinate military activities; however, N’ban La remains head of the KIA war commission.

Dr La Ja, former chief of the Foreign Affairs and Alliance Department of the KIO, became general secretary of KIO.

N’ban La became chief of staff of KIA in 2001, after a bloodless putsch ousted Gen Zau Mai, the former leader of KIO. After 2001 coup, Lamung Tu Jai became head of the KIO and Brigadier Gen Hpau Tsam Yan became its vice president.

In early January 2004, the organization purged Brigadier Gen Hpau Tsam Yan and military intelligence chief Col Lasang Awng Wa, accusing them of masterminding a coup. Later, Lasang Awng Wa split from the KIO and, with his followers, joined another Kachin ceasefire group, the New Democratic Army-Kachin.

At the end of January 2004, the KIO announced a major leadership reshuffle: Brigadier Gen Gauri Zau Seng as vice president of KIO, Dr Tu Ja as second deputy chairman of Kachin Independence Council, Col Gam Shawng as general secretary of KIO, Maj Sumlut Gun Maw as deputy general secretary and Dr La Ja as chief of the Foreign Affairs and Alliance Department of the KIO.

The KIO retains its status as a ceasefire partner with the Burmese military government.