KIO Silence on Junta’s Press Report
January 23, 2006

The Kachin Post

The Kachin Independence Organization, a ceasefire group based in northern Burma, keeps quiet on the press report which depicted the junta version of shoot out incident in Nam Ngu village of northern Shan State. Five KIO members on January 2nd were gunned down by Burma Army soldiers led by Maj Hla Moe during the incident.

The shoot out was the confusion of Burma Army soldier who unable to identify the victims are the members of KIO, according to The New Light of Myanmar, junta’s mouthpiece. “They didn’t know that the group was from KIO,” said Deputy Commander of North-East command Brig-Gen Hla Myint during the press conference. “There can be friendly fire in a military operation.”

A member of KIO Central Committee Sumlut Gun Maw said that KIO for this moment has no reason to comment on what Brig-Gen Hla Myit said at the press conference (1/2006) held on January 19. However, KIO do not consider the press report is the official explanation from Burmese military government.

KIO believes that there was no such a friendly fire and Burma Army soldiers took action according to their order. KIO urged military government to investigate the genuine accounts of the incident and give penalty to those who committed the killings.

KIO version of incident was also reported to British Ambassador to Burma Ms Vicky Bowman, who raised the question about shoot out between KIO members and Burma Army during the junta’s press conference, according to sources closed to KIO.

KIO reached ceasefire agreement with Burma Army in February 1994.