Entries by kwat-admin

State terror in the Kachin hills

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In late 2012, the Burma Army intensified military operations against strongholds of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). This culminated in a massive offensive on the KIA headquarters at Laiza on the China-Burma border starting in mid-December. This month long assault involved repeated mortar shelling and aerial bombings in the Laiza area, populated by 20,000 civilians, […]

Myanmar: Drop Criminal Defamation Charges Against Kachin Activist

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Decriminalize defamation laws, uphold right to freedom of expression (YANGON, November 14, 2017)—The Government of Myanmar should immediately and unconditionally drop criminal defamation charges against 56-year-old ethnic Kachin human rights defender Dashi Naw Lawn and uphold the right to freedom of expression, said the Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand (KWAT) and Fortify Rights today. The […]

Recent defamation case in Phakant highlights urgent need to bring the Burma Army under civilian control

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September 8, 2017 Since the founding of the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) on September 9, 1999, we have been working to promote and protect the rights of women and children in Kachin areas of Burma. Unfortunately, due to worsening Burma Army offensives and abuses, the rights of our communities continue to be systematically violated. A recent […]

Appeal for the immediate release of Kachin farmer Nlam Bawk Naw, arbitrarily arrested on the Ledo Road by the Burma Army on June 20, 2017

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Date: 8th August, 2017 Press release by Kachin CSOs Kachin CSOs are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Kachin farmer Nlam Bawk Naw, who was arbitrarily arrested by Burma Army troops on the Ledo Road in eastern Hpakant township on June 20, 2017. On that day, at about 3 pm, there had been […]

Six years since resumption of Civil War in Kachin

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9th June 2017 Children born on the day civil war reignited in Kachin State are now starting their first grade in school, this week.  Thousands of IDPs from a total of over 120,000 have fled, again, from their IDP camps, which they had called home for five years, as conflict spreads toward the Sino-Burmese border. […]

Without Justice there can be no Peace

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Civil society expectations from the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference Today the Government will host the second session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in Naypyidaw. As civil society organizations (CSOs) have been barred from the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC)-led political discussions between the Government, Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), ND-Burma […]

Ongoing Impunity (continued Burma army atrocities against Kachin people)

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Continued Burma Army atrocities against the Kachin people. No political improvement since ceasefire agreement on 24 February 1994. Kachin participating in democratic reform process by attending National Convention, polled referendum in KIO control areas and attempted to participate in 2010 election and by- election However….. on 9 June, 2011, Burma Army launched a full-scale attack […]