Kachin News Group

The three-day celebrations of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year by a top leader of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in Burma’s northern Kachin State was attended by hundreds of civilians and invited dignitaries, KIO officials told the Kachin News Group.

A day after KIO delegates met top officers of the Burmese junta in a fruitless meeting in the Northern Regional Command in Kachin State’s capital Myitkyina, the family-prayer service of Lt-Gen N’ban La Awng, Vice-chairman of KIO was held. It will conclude on New Year’s Day, added KIO officials.

The celebrations are being held in the KIO vice-chairman’s ranch near Sam Bai village in Waingmaw Township east of Kachin State. It is also close to the 3rd battalion of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) of the KIO, where he served as battalion commander in the past, said Sam Bai sources.

Today, Kachin Christian traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas prayer services were held together in the ranch.  All family members of the vice-chairman, invited Burmese military officers from Myitkyina-based Northern Regional Command and 1,500 civilians mainly from territories of both junta and KIO in Waingmaw Township attended, said local villagers.

About 120 invitees among junta officials also joined the celebrations and came in 18 cars, said people in the ranch.

Security was provided at the celebration site by KIA soldiers and Burmese troops from the Shwe Nyaung Pyin-based Light Infantry Battalion No. 321, said KIO officers.

Tomorrow is the last day of celebrations. Golf and different games will be played in the ranch as the celebrations conclude.

The estimated budget for the three-day celebrations is about 150 million kyat (US$156,250), sources close to the KIO vice-chairman said.

On the flip side, family and private Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations have dropped significantly among ordinary people in Kachin State this year. This is because people are becoming poorer by the day in an economy in shambles in the country, said local Kachin church leaders.

Baptist pastors in Myitkyina said every church is celebrating traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. However, family celebrations have come down drastically compared to last time.  

Only KIO officers, other Kachin armed group officers and businessmen can hold family prayer services and have traditional celebrations, local pastors added.