Images of Kachin State 2008
Minister Brig-Gen Thein Zaw targets Kachin churches for referendum campaigns
Minister Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, of the Burmese military junta's Post, Telegraph and Communication Ministry and the regime's Kachin state organizer targeted Kachin Christian churches for his pro and post May 10 referendum on the country's new constitution which was drafted by the ruling junta.
The people were ordered to gather at halls in Church compounds or inside Churches in Myitkyina and Waingmaw townships for a meeting with Minister Brig-Gen Thein Zaw.
Whenever Minister Thein Zaw met people inside the Church compounds, he made small donations such as funds for school and church construction, rice and cooking oil and granting land line phone to people.
The people were ordered to gather at halls in Church compounds or inside Churches in Myitkyina and Waingmaw townships for a meeting with Minister Brig-Gen Thein Zaw.
Whenever Minister Thein Zaw met people inside the Church compounds, he made small donations such as funds for school and church construction, rice and cooking oil and granting land line phone to people.
KTC celebrates diamond jubilee (1932-2007)
Ethnic Kachin Baptists in Burma celebrated the 'diamond jubilee' of Kachin Theological College (KTC) in the school compound in Nawng Nang County, ten miles north of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state in northern Burma.
The 75th anniversary of KTC was actually in 2007 but the celebration was later jointly held along with KTC graduation on March 24 to 30 in 2008.
From 1972 till now, the KTC has trained a total of 3,817 students, where 2,220 are men and 1,597 are women, according to KTC records.
The KTC now has over 400 students and about 30 lecturers and the school offers Licentiate Theology (L.Th.), Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.), Bachelor of Ministry (B.Min.), Master of Divinity (M.Dip.) and Honorary Doctorate or Doctor of Divinity (D.D.).
During the seven-day celebrations, over 20,000 people joined the celebrations and spent over 86 million Kyats.
The KTC is the biggest Theological school in Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), representing over 400,000 followers in Burma.
The 75th anniversary of KTC was actually in 2007 but the celebration was later jointly held along with KTC graduation on March 24 to 30 in 2008.
From 1972 till now, the KTC has trained a total of 3,817 students, where 2,220 are men and 1,597 are women, according to KTC records.
The KTC now has over 400 students and about 30 lecturers and the school offers Licentiate Theology (L.Th.), Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.), Bachelor of Ministry (B.Min.), Master of Divinity (M.Dip.) and Honorary Doctorate or Doctor of Divinity (D.D.).
During the seven-day celebrations, over 20,000 people joined the celebrations and spent over 86 million Kyats.
The KTC is the biggest Theological school in Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), representing over 400,000 followers in Burma.
KBC Youths' Conference (April 5-11, 2008)
For the first time, over 3,000 Kachin Baptist youths in the whole of Burma under Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) held its 7th conference at Nbapa village, the controlled area of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) which signed a ceasefire agreement with Burma's ruling junta in 1994 near the Sino-Burma border in Kachin state.
The KBC youths gathered in Nbapa with the conference title from the Bible "The Lord is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid. Ref: Numbers 14:9b". The conference is held every five year
The conference was also held a month before the junta-conducted country-wide referendum on a new constitution.
The KBC youths gathered in Nbapa with the conference title from the Bible "The Lord is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid. Ref: Numbers 14:9b". The conference is held every five year
The conference was also held a month before the junta-conducted country-wide referendum on a new constitution.
Students paste anti-referendum posters (Jan-May, 2008)
Before May 10, 2008 referendum on a new junta-drafted country's constitution, members of All Kachin Students' Union (AKSU), an underground Kachin students' organization based in Kachin state pasted series of vote 'no' posters on the referendum day. The poster campaigns took place in Myitkyina, Bhamo, Waingmaw, Namti and Mogaung.
KIO broke its 'neutral stand' on referendum and approved it (May 10, 2008)
The most powerful Kachin ceasefire group, Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) approved the junta's constitution at the nation-wide referendum held on May 10, 2008 by breaking its neutral stand on the referendum in a public announcement.
Three days before the referendum, on May 7, the KIO ordered all civilians in its controlled areas and men and women in service to cast 'Yes or Approval' votes on the junta-drafted constitution after former Northern Command commander Maj-Gen Ohn Myint marched to Laiza, the headquarters of KIO on the Sino-Burma border in a military convoys with heavy arms and tanks.
On the other hand, other small Kachin permanent peace groups---the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Lasang Awng Wa Ceasefire Group in Kachin state and Kachin Defense Army (KDA) in northeast Shan state also ordered its people to approve the junta-drafted constitution.
Three days before the referendum, on May 7, the KIO ordered all civilians in its controlled areas and men and women in service to cast 'Yes or Approval' votes on the junta-drafted constitution after former Northern Command commander Maj-Gen Ohn Myint marched to Laiza, the headquarters of KIO on the Sino-Burma border in a military convoys with heavy arms and tanks.
On the other hand, other small Kachin permanent peace groups---the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Lasang Awng Wa Ceasefire Group in Kachin state and Kachin Defense Army (KDA) in northeast Shan state also ordered its people to approve the junta-drafted constitution.
Kachins form interim committee for 2010 elections (June 20, 2008)
The three biggest Kachin organizations--- Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Kachin Nationals' Consultative Assembly (KNCA), the umbrella organization of the whole Kachins in Burma formed the Kachin State Interim Committee (KIC) also called Jinghpaw Mungdaw Pran Wan Komiti in Kachin on June 20, 2008.
The KIC will form a state-representative political party to contest in the 2010 elections as soon as the junta authorizes formation of political parties in the country. The KIC-born party will be Kachin majority and also have non-Kachins from Kachin state.
After forming the KIC, the committee members have been conducting campaigns to organize people across Kachin state and northern Shan state spearheaded by committee leader and vice-president no. 2 of KIO Dr. Manam Tu Ja.
The KIC will form a state-representative political party to contest in the 2010 elections as soon as the junta authorizes formation of political parties in the country. The KIC-born party will be Kachin majority and also have non-Kachins from Kachin state.
After forming the KIC, the committee members have been conducting campaigns to organize people across Kachin state and northern Shan state spearheaded by committee leader and vice-president no. 2 of KIO Dr. Manam Tu Ja.
Brig-Gen Soe Win takes over as new Northern Command commander (late June)
Brig-Gen Soe Win, former Principal of Officer Training School in Pyi Oo Lwin (Maymyo) in Mandalay Division in Burma was appointed Northern Command commander with its headquarters is based in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state.
Commander Soe Win promised that he would eradicate drugs in Kachin state during his tenure but he granted logging permission in Kachin state for exporting to China.
Commander Soe Win promised that he would eradicate drugs in Kachin state during his tenure but he granted logging permission in Kachin state for exporting to China.
Teenager Kachin schoolgirl Hkawn Din gang-raped by Burmese soldiers (July 27, 2008)
A teenaged Kachin schoolgirl Hkawn Din (15) and a student of grade eight in Nam Sai village in Momauk (N'Mawk) city in Bhamo district in Kachin state in northern Burma was gang-raped and killed by at least three Burmese soldiers from the Momauk-based Burmese Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 437 on July 27, 2008.
Hkawn Din was gang-raped and killed while she was taking food to her elder brother in the rice paddy fields near her village.
Till now, the junta arrested soldier Soe Tu Win only in LIB No. 437 on the case of Hkawn Din's rape and murder. The junta avoided taking action against all the perpetrators of the crime and put the guilt on Soe Tu Win who seems abnormal, according to Hkawn Din's relatives.
Hkawn Din was gang-raped and killed while she was taking food to her elder brother in the rice paddy fields near her village.
Till now, the junta arrested soldier Soe Tu Win only in LIB No. 437 on the case of Hkawn Din's rape and murder. The junta avoided taking action against all the perpetrators of the crime and put the guilt on Soe Tu Win who seems abnormal, according to Hkawn Din's relatives.
China starts importing timber from Kachin state
After several months gap, China has resumed importing timber from Kachin state since late November, 2008.
Being imported are hardwoods and softwoods from Bhamo district and Triangle Areas between Mali and N'Mai Rivers. There is rampant felling of trees by Chinese loggers.
China officially banned importing timber from northern Burma in late 2005 however Chinese timber businessmen have not stopped importing timber.
Being imported are hardwoods and softwoods from Bhamo district and Triangle Areas between Mali and N'Mai Rivers. There is rampant felling of trees by Chinese loggers.
China officially banned importing timber from northern Burma in late 2005 however Chinese timber businessmen have not stopped importing timber.
China builds mini-great wall on its border with Burma
Early November, 2008, China built 10-feet wide and seven miles long mini great wall on the Sino-Burma border in Kachin state in northern Burma.
The wall fences off Chinese territories of Laiza from Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)'s border business centre and headquarters in Laiza in Burmese territories. The two territories are divided by the Laiza stream.
China says the fence is aimed to prevent drug smuggling on the border.
The wall fences off Chinese territories of Laiza from Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)'s border business centre and headquarters in Laiza in Burmese territories. The two territories are divided by the Laiza stream.
China says the fence is aimed to prevent drug smuggling on the border.
Burma and China jointly open border anti-trafficking office (December 22, 2008)
High ranking police officers of Burmese and Chinese governments officially opened two border anti-trafficking offices side by side in each of their territories on the countries' border in Kachin state on December 22, 2008.
The offices called 'Myanmar-China Border Liaison Office on Anti-trafficking in Persons' were opened in Jiang Phong (Jiang Hkong) in Chinese territory and Lweje in Burmese territory on the border.
The opening ceremonies on the two offices were attended by Burma police's chief Brig-Gen Khin Yi (Khin Yee) and a senior police officer from Chinese central government.
The offices called 'Myanmar-China Border Liaison Office on Anti-trafficking in Persons' were opened in Jiang Phong (Jiang Hkong) in Chinese territory and Lweje in Burmese territory on the border.
The opening ceremonies on the two offices were attended by Burma police's chief Brig-Gen Khin Yi (Khin Yee) and a senior police officer from Chinese central government.
Kachins hold centenary celebrations on American Baptist mission
A Kachin Baptist church in Wing Hkam (Win Hkam) village in Lweje (Loije) city in Bhamo District in Kachin state in northern Burma under Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) held centenary celebrations on American Baptist mission from December 29 to 31, 2008.
The Baptist mission was founded in Wing Hkam village along with a school by an American Baptist missionary Rev. Dr. H. J. Robert and a Kachin missionary Rev. Damau Naw on February 3, 1909. The celebrations were to express 'Thanks to God' and held two months earlier than the actual date on February 3, 2009.
During the celebrations, over 400 people along with Wing Hkam villagers joined the celebrations and the Kachin traditional Manau Dance Festival called "Jaw Wunli Manau" meaning 'Centenary Blessings Manau' dance were held on December 30 and 31 for the first time in the village.
The 100th memorial hall of the founding Wing Hkam village, school and Baptist mission was also inaugurated in the celebration.
The Baptist mission was founded in Wing Hkam village along with a school by an American Baptist missionary Rev. Dr. H. J. Robert and a Kachin missionary Rev. Damau Naw on February 3, 1909. The celebrations were to express 'Thanks to God' and held two months earlier than the actual date on February 3, 2009.
During the celebrations, over 400 people along with Wing Hkam villagers joined the celebrations and the Kachin traditional Manau Dance Festival called "Jaw Wunli Manau" meaning 'Centenary Blessings Manau' dance were held on December 30 and 31 for the first time in the village.
The 100th memorial hall of the founding Wing Hkam village, school and Baptist mission was also inaugurated in the celebration.
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