Kachin News Group

In a surprise development Burma's ruling junta has offered to help, after it completely demolished the ethnic Kachin cultural Manau ground and fence in Bhamo, the second largest city in Kachin State, northern Burma, said Kachin cultural leaders.

U Khin Maung Aye, chairman of Bhamo City Peace and Development Council or Bhamo City Administrator directed the Manau officials at the Manau venue on Nov. 13 at about 11 a.m. to celebrate the Manau festival by offering help for the festival by providing cars, fuel and spraying water, a day after it demolished the Manau ground and fence with a power-shovel, said members of the Manau committee.

Khin Maung Aye's offer came the same day when about 20 members of Bhamo (also called Manmaw in Kachin) Kachin Manau Committee held an emergency meeting in the Manau compound on whether they will hold the Manau festival or not.  The committee members finally decided in tears to hold the festival on the originally scheduled dates of November 26 to 28, said the committee members.

The Kachin Christian traditional Thanksgiving and cultural Manau dance festival known as "Sut Manau" will be celebrated at the Bhamo Kachin Literature and Cultural venue in Aung Ta village in Two Miles.

The 200-feet circular ground for the Kachin symbol Manau Poles was severely damaged while it was being covered with sand stones and lime for the concrete floors. A one foot high fence covering the Manau ground was also pulled down on November 11 and 12, said eyewitnesses and Manau committee's members.

According to local Kachin cultural leaders, a government power-shovel drove into the Manau compound and destroyed the Manau ground and fence on the orders of Col. Khin Maung Myint, chairman of Bhamo District Peace and Development Council (Kha-Ya-Ka) or Bhamo District Administrator.

The Manau Committee was ordered to restore the sand stones, lime and bricks in the demolished Manau ground and rebuild the fence with solid soil by Col. Khin Maung Myint, said members of the Manau Committee.

Eight days after the junta damaged the Manau ground and fence, the Manau festival advertisement was surprisingly published on the junta-run newspapers--- "Myanmar Ahlin" and "Kyaymon, also called The Mirror” on November 20.

The latest cultural discrimination of ethnic Kachin people by the repressive ruling junta has left them extremely disappointed.

The first Kachin Manau dance festival was held in Bhamo in 1996 with financial support from the Kachin Cultural Headquarters based in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.

The Manau Poles and festival are Kachin symbols and valued highly by all Kachin people.

See photos--- Burma's ruling junta demolishes Kachin cultural Manau ground