The Kachins living around the world commemorated 53rd Anniversary of the Kachin Revolution Day on February 5th, 2013. Kachin Independence Organization and its armed wing Kachin Independence Army were established on Feb 5, 1961 at No. (5) quarter in Lashio in northern Shan state.
Ceremonies to commemorate Kachin Revolution Day were held at IDP camps in Mung Seng Yang, Je Yang, and Hpun Lum Yang in Laiza township. About 2000 Laiza residents attended the ceremony held at Rawt Ninghkawng hall in Laiza High School compound on Feb 5.
Similar events were held at KIO-controlled territories in Maija Yang township, Bhamo township, and Shwegu township.
Kachin diaspora communities in Thailand, Japan, India, China, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada and United States held similar ceremonies to commemorate Kachin Revolution Day. A brief history of the KIO/A, a speech and words of encouragement along with singing the Kachin National anthem are delivered during the ceremony, said a participant in Dallas/Forth Worth Kachin community’s celebration.
February 5th, 2013 marks the 53 years long struggle of the Kachins for their local autonomy and ethnic rights. The Kachin arm-struggle revolution began as the then Burmese government ignored the promise of Panglong and asserted the Union in its own term, repressing the ethnic groups and their cultural and religious traditions. U Nu’s notorious racial project to Burmanize the whole country, to transfer Kachin territories to lower Burma and China and to make Buddhism as a state religion further fueled the ethnic resistance.
In ceremonies held around the world, KIO’s Chairman Lanyaw Zawng Hra’s revolution day message was read out. In the message, Chairman Zawng Hra reminds the costs and sacrifices of many Kachin leaders and soldiers for the noble cause to free Kachin nationals from oppression and exploitation. He said successive Burmese governments carried out the elimination of Kachin social, religious and cultural identity and exploited Kachin ancestral lands by political, military and other means. Chairman Zawng Hra thanked KIO/A members for their sacrificial services and exhorted all Kachin nationals to join resistance movement against the oppressive regime and its suppressive forces.
Despite international outcries against excessive forces used in Kachin war, Burmese army in December 2012 attacked KIA and Kachin people militia with almost all Light Infantry Divisions from lower Burma, heavy artilleries, fighter jets and attack helicopter gunships that have been recorded as one of the costliest and heaviest operations in Burma’s civil war history, said the message. Chairman Zawng Hra said the political demands and aspirations of ethnic nationalities to build a genuine federal union in Burma would not be met and achieved by 2008 constitution and its framework. KIO’s stand is to achieve genuine peace in Burma, sincere and genuine political dialogues have to begin not just for untenable ceasefires that could threaten peace and stability at any times. Chairman Zawng Hra said KIO is striving to initiate a meaningful and constructive political dialogue with the Burmese government. He urged Burma’s ethnic nationalities to unite under UNFC’s political aspirations remembering successive governments’s divide and rule strategy.
Chairman Zawng Hra also reminds the need to continuously fight against usage of drugs among the youth as drugs were used as a weapon in Burma’s decades-long civil war. He concluded the message by urging Kachin nationals to continue the struggles for liberty with renewed strength and energy from the day of 53rd Anniversary.
