Dr. Ola Hanson memorial Baptist Church, A Kachin historic site, which has been preserved and cared for through generations has been ransacked and destroyed by Burmese Army soldiers on March 13, 2012. The historic Church is located at Pangmu village on Sinlum Hills, overlooking Yunan, China. For Kachins, Dr. Ola Hanson is widely regarded as a benefactor and strongly revered even today as the father of the Kachin language. Burmese Army soldiers reportedly destroyed membership books and other Church documents.

Another Kachin Baptist Church at Law Dan village in Momauk Township was also occupied and used as a command center by Burmese Army soldiers. Local sources reported that Burmese Army soldiers started digging bunkers around the Church believing that Church building is safer from attacks by Kachin soldiers who are Christians.

Kachin and Burmese governments last met on March 8-10 at Ruili City in China. Both sides agreed for the reduction of troops and in the scale of hostilities, and, in areas where opposing forces are in volatile confrontation, for the local commanders to work towards attaining mutual understanding and to agree on the time when steps toward de-escalation might begin, and for the civilian citizens in the affected areas to be properly informed. Nonetheless, Fighting between the two sides has escalated over the past two weeks. The Burmese Army has substantially increased its attacks directed at the headquarters of KIA’s 5th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, and the General Headquarters of the KIO.

Local residents in Mai Ja Yang, KIO’s second largest city, said they can even hear the sound of heavy artillery as Burmese Army steps up its offenses. The number of forcibly displaced people continues to expand, it is estimated that there are about 70,000 IDPs sheltering in government and KIO’s controlled areas and China side of the border. The approach of the rainy season will make harder for the lives in temporary refugee camps.