To responsible officials in the governments of The United States, Canada, and The United Kingdom:
Subject: The continuing war on the Kachins by the government of Burma
I write on behalf of all Kachins who are now citizens or residents in the United States of America and Canada and I want to address the recent changing dynamics of politics in Burma. Since the Burma army/tatmadaw is still the agent of change without parallel, I will focus only on this topic.
The agreement with the Karen National Union involving a cease-fire now enables the military power in the government to move its forces that have been deployed against the Karens to Kachin State. The forces from Shan States Army and Wa fronts have already been moved and deployed against the Kachins.
Taken together, the continuing war against the Kachins and the totally secretive way in which any promise of reform in the agreements with the Karen, Shan and Wa leaders has been handled cast serious doubt on the sincerity on the part of the government in the
aforementioned agreements.
Regardless, the massive movement of troops to confront the Kachins is a two-edged sword; the authorities have now put all its eggs into a single basket—the war against the Kachins.
If the governments of the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. were now to take the position that they might be willing to revisit the issue of economic sanctions if the Kachin war is fully and satisfactorily halted, perhaps it would make a great deal of strategic sense to actually promote democracy in Burma.
The Kachins have been stalwart over the years since 1962 in defense of the Panglong Agreement plans for a democratic governing system. Through thick and thin they have sacrificed to uphold that conviction. The recent formation of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) was due to their initiative. The Panglong qua UNFC plan was developed by this coalition of ethnic nationalities. This plan promises a far better system of democracy for Burma than the constitution of 2008; furthermore, it contains the seeds for nationwide peace and stability. Is this the reason why the military junta ideologues feel they must destroy the Kachin political opposition—to prevent this plan from being proposed and carried out?
We Kachins stood with the Allied Powers during World War II and made our sacrifices. We ask the same powers to do the one critical thing to change the course of political dynamics in Burma once again.
Please inform the Burma government that the governments of the U.S., Canada and the U.K. will not consider lifting the existing sanctions until it is confirmed that the Burma government has truly ceased military operations in, and their forces withdrawn from Kachin State.
The Kachin nation and those who desire justice and fairness in The United States, Canada and Britain and everywhere, will be grateful for your decision to take this pivotal step.
La Raw Maran, Ph.D.
Advisor and consultant to the Kachin Leaders
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