KNO urged U.S Government to stress ethnic rights in Burma

Overseas based Kachin National Organization (KNO) requested U.S State Department to investigate the incidents of ethnic violations in Burma, raising the issues of ethnic rights to be inclusive in the future meeting of U.S government and Burmese junta, according the organization's statement released in early of December 2009.KNO points out the total destruction of Kachin Manau statue and scared ground by Burmese military authority in Bhamo, in Kachin State of northern Burma at the end of November 2009. "History teaches us that such actions small sparks which ignite the flames of civil war and national disintegration," said the statement, which was signed by the organization chairman Mr. Bawmwang La Raw and sent it to H.E. Michael H. Posner, assistant secretary of U.S State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.During last month, local Burmese military authority in Bhamo instructed abruptly to dismantle the Kachin Manau statue and scared ground, which was planned to celebrate for "2nd Nlung Nnan Sha Sut Manau Festival" in Bhamo. The planned festival was organized by Bhamo city's Kachin Literature and Culture Association. In turn, the Burmese authority threatened the member of the Kachin Literature and Culture Association to persuade Kachin Independence Organization's arms wing to be transform into Border Guard Force, if the association want to celebrate the Manau festival. "State Peace and Development Council used the event as a lynchpin in an attempt to advance its nefarious political agenda," KNO statement lamented.After tiring negotiations, the Manau festival was allowed to celebrate under the limited time and attendance on the ruined Manau scared ground. During the Manau festival on November 26, Kachin Independence Organization's Vice Chairman Lt-Gen N'ban La and former Vice Chairman and now turned to be the leader of Kachin State Progressive Party Dr. Tu Ja commemorated the festival along with the personnel from Burmese local authority. A couple days later, local authority in Bhamo demolished the remnants of the festival including Manau statue.KNO also stresses its encouragement to U.S president Obama's policy of engagement with Burmese junta and his emphasis on the vital of ethnic group's involvement in searching solution for Burma's political deadlock.Kachin National Organization was founded on January 9, 1999, striving for an independent Kachin homeland and democratic government.

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