Kachin villagers trapped by heavy fighting

More than 100 villagers have been displaced following fighting between Burmese military forces and troops from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) broke out nearby last week in Putao district, Kachin state. The civilians affected by this latest clash are overwhelmingly women, children and elderly, said a Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) source. Now they are enduring great hardship sheltering in a remote and forested, mountainous corner of northern Kachin state. Nearly the entire population of Nhka Ga village has been uprooted by the fighting. About 20 - mostly elderly and sick people - still remain in the village even though fighting is still raging nearby. The village, which is located between the Mali Hka and Chyai Hka rivers, was home for about 50 families many are simple farmers.

KBC General Secretary Rev. Hkalam Samsun told the Kachin News Group that his organization is currently looking into how to assist the villagers. "We have done nothing so far.  We are going to discuss this later today with the Kachin state government," he said.

The KBC is one of the largest groups providing assistance for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Kachin state.

The affected villagers have had little food and access to proper shelter. Their situation is getting increasingly dire warns Hkalam Samsun.  About 30 people have fled to the nearby government controlled towns of Machyangbaw and Nawng Hkai, but most of the Nhka Ga villagers remain trapped in the countryside trapped by the fighting.

U Hpung San, a Kachin state legislator from Machyangbaw, and several other Kachin state government officials met with a senior Burma military commander from the Putao district to discuss the situation. Officials told journalists in Myitkyina that they had reached an agreement with the military that would allow the delivery of aid to the displaced in the Putao region. However, how and when the aid will be delivered to the IDPs that remain trapped in the conflict zone is unknown at the time of press. The region that is already difficult to access has gotten worse because of the fighting and recent heavy rains.

At least two lieutenants from the Burma Army's Infantry battalion 137 were killed and several troops reported being injured during fighting with KIA battalion 7, according to a local church pastor.

A pro-KIO blog reported that the fighting broke out after the combined IB 137 and Rebellion Resistance Force - a local pro-government Kachin militia - attacked a KIA post near the village on August 29. The militia group was led by Danggu Tang (also known as Ahdang) a prominent Rawang businessman who previously served as senior official in New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K). The NDA-K is another pro government Kachin militia that has also been involved in clashes with the KIA last month.

Danggu Tang formed the RRF in 2006 after splitting from the NDA-K, reportedly at the encouragement of the, then, Northern Commander Maj-Gen Ohn Myint. Danggu Tang owns several jade mines in Hpakant, and a recording studio in Kachin state capital of Myitkyina. His militia comprised almost entirely of Lisu and Rawang is 200 men strong.

The Nhka Ga fighting erupted less than a day after Vijay Nambiar, the United Nations special envoy to Burma, made his unprecedented visit to the Kachin Independence Organization's (KIO) Laiza headquarters. The trip was made to bolster support for the ongoing peace process between the KIO and the central government.

The UN has been largely blocked by both the Chinese and Burmese governments from sending food and other humanitarian aid to about 100,000 people sheltering in KIO controlled areas of Kachin and northern Shan states. 

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/kachin-villagers-trapped-by-heavy-fighting/