Panglong Agreement not forgotten.

By Wunpawng, 5th February 2010.

The spirit of Panglong Agreement is the key message of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on its 49th Anniversary today (5th Feb). KIO demands the military government to implement Pang Long Agreement which signed 1947.

In the statement by Lanyaw Zawng Hra, KIO Chairman, “We have to re-live the Panglong Agreement for building the genuine Union of Myanmar.”

The statement states that KIO’s bottom line is to have the right of self-determination within genuine federal union of Myanmar. It adds that if the military government genuinely wants to have national solidarity, the promises made in Panglong Agreement must be honored.

The military government has been forcing all the ceasefire groups to transform into border guard force (BGF) but KIO refuses to accept the proposal. Col. James Lum Dau said (on Thursday) it is a tactic of the government to take silent coup by reducing the number of KIA troops.

KIO has been under huge pressure from the military government to accept the government proposal – BGF. In this year’s Manau festival on 10th January, Kachin State Day, KIO was not allowed to wear uniform.

KIO was founded on February 5, 1961, by three brothers: Zau Seng, Zau Tu and Zau Dan after then U Nu government declared Buddhism as the state religion. Since its establishment, Kachin Independence Army (KIA) the arm wing of KIO has fought effectively against the government forces in Kachin State throughout in 1960s until the present ceasefire was signed in 1994.

The original aim of fighting for complete independence was changed in 1976 to remain in genuine federal union of Myanmar.

Since its establishment, leaderships have changed – Lahtaw Zau Seng, Maran Brang Seng, Mali Zup Zau Mai, Lamung Tu Jai, and Lanyaw Zawng Hra. However, it has not achieved much. But Col. James Lum Dau said if KIO did not take arm struggle, the situation of Kachin people would be worse today.

A village elder said, “the Burmese government does not dare to do whatever they wish to Kachin people because of KIA”.

KIO signed ceasefire agreement with the military government on February 24, 1994 to solve the political problems in peaceful means. KIO have had numerous meetings with the military government for political talk but failed to bring any political breakthrough.

The disappointments among Kachin community is widespread because the ceasefire not only failed to bring any desirable political result but lost controls over lands especially lucrative areas such as Phakant (jade is mined), Hu Gawng region (where timber, gold is rich).

Col. James Lum Dau said that some of the benefits of ceasefire are – children have more access to education and scattered family members are reunited.

How long the ceasefire will last?

This answer perhaps mainly depends on what the military government will do next if its BGF proposal to ceasefire groups completely failed.

Among the ceasefire groups such as KIO and UWSA already rejected the BGF proposal. From November 2009, KIA has been giving basic military training to civilians as village defense forces (VDF). According to a KIO official, it is a central policy of KIO to give the training.

According to a civilian who receives such training, the trainees can go back their villages. The training is mostly voluntary basis.