KACHIN STATE – KIO announced on November 18th that it has cancelled the designation of Kachin Special Region 1, which was divided and administered by successive military regimes in Kachin State, and invited local people and investors to build comprehensive development together.
The previous military regimes, in order to strengthen their power, were designated and ruled as Kachin Special Region 1, which affected the unity of the Kachin people. KIO said that not only the Kachin people, but also the ethnic people in the Kachin region, had to unite the areas designated as Kachin Special Region 1 in order to live together as equals without division, KIO said.
Therefore, from now on, Kachin Special Region 1 no longer exists. KIO said that there will be no more sufferings on social and economy of people and rebuild development with humanitarian-based policy.
All investors are invited to cooperate with KIO and build comprehensive development together to all the people of the region that were previously under the administration of Kachin Special Region 1.
KIO said that it had chosen the path of armed revolution because it was unsuccessful in negotiations in parliament although the Kachin people tried to participate in the stages of union formation for the right to self-determination and national equality.
The Kachin Special Region 1 was governed by setting up three border guard battalions as subordinates of military dictators. In Special Region 1 of Kachin State, led by Zahkung Ting Ying, under the command of the Junta Council includes Tsawlaw, Chipwi, Waimaw, Pangwa and Kan Paik Ti townships.
After the breakaway from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and a cease-fire with the Burmese army in 1993, Zahkung Ting Ying transformed into a border guard force under the military rules.
The former Kachin Special Region 1 is an area that can be mined for rare earth and is also a region rich in natural resources.
