Kachin Pastor Makes Plea for His People, Victims of Burma’s Secret War

I am forwarding a letter my Kachin Brother La Seng sent me. If you don’t have any idea what Kachinland is I would advice you to read this message. La Seng is an elder in the Kachin community and works within his homeland for a host of philanthropic reasons. He is an eye witness to the atrocities being committed. In fact there are many people I know who are witnesses to the continued savagery being committed by the Burmese government against the Kachin people.

In recieving this message I can’t help but feel ashamed since my nations politicians have chosen to ignore crimes against humanity being committed by Burma’s junta. Senator’s are drooling like rabid dogs as ‘opportunities’ to exploit Burma’s natural resources, especially Kachin State. Their morality has become blinded by greed and hard fought alliances forged in blood simply are forgotten. Its like nothing ever happened in Burma, no election, no ‘civilian government’.

The Kachin are still earmarked for genocide under Than Shwe’s Burmanization Program. Horror stories continue to stream out of Kachin State but the west is deaf to the cries of humanity. The news of Kachinlands war may be silent to western ears but the war is very much alive to the humanity that fled their homeland in the wake of Burma’s insurgency.

Buffalohair

My name is La Seng Labya, a naturalized American citizen born and raised in Kachin State Burma (Myanmar) and, currently serving the Lord as a Pastor at DFW Kachin Baptist Church. We are affiliated with Southern Baptist Convention through Southern Baptist Texas Convention (SBTC). I would like to present to you about Kachin people in China- Burma border and their suffering under current civil war. As a Brother’s Keeper in Christ, your prayer and support are needed and appreciated.

Kachins: The Kachin people are a group of ethnic groups who largely inhabit the Kachin Hills in northern Burma‘s Kachin State and northern Shan state. Kachin also live in Yunnan, China and in Northeast India. The Kachin mostly refer to themselves collectively as Wungpang. Kachin is the word that the Burmese and the world use to refer to them. The Kachin population is about 2.5 million people, of which about 1 million live in the borders of China-Burma today. Kachin is a strategically important state, lying between India and China, and also rich in resources including gold and jade mines, teakwood, rubber and banana plantations. They are frequently targeted by the military, partly for their ethnicity and partly for their faith.

Kachin Refugees (Internal displaced people in Sino-Burma border)

The violence erupted near the Taping River by the Burma -Chinese border in June 9, 2011 when a 17-year ceasefire between government forces and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), which controls the territory, was broken. The fighting has spread to several parts of

Townships in Kachin State and northern Shan State, with systematic torture, killing, and rape by Burmese troops. As fighting escalated between Burmese government forces and Kachin rebels, more than 75, 000 civilians Kachin civilians fled from the Burmese military’s tortures, interrogations and forced labors as porters, are sheltering in China-Burma border city Laiza and surrounding areas under Kachin Independent Army’s control. While Burmese military is saying that the cause of this war is to protect “the project and the public”, the public are fleeing from their soldiers in fears of tortures and rapes to KIO controlled Laiza territory.

Current condition of Kachin Refugees

The Burmese government does not want the international community that there is a political problem with ethnic groups, that there is fighting. To date, there are no international NGOs present at makeshift shelters. The Chinese government has not permitted UNHCR to provide humanitarian assistance to Kachin IDPs and refugees. No temporary shelters have been set up for Kachin refugees and no foods have been provided by China, the world’s second largest economy. At present times Kachin Refugees are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

Increasing shortage of food and medicine: Torrential rains during the monsoon season beginning form June to August will create unsanitary conditions, making it difficult to prevent the spread of diseases such as diarrhea, Malaria, skin diseases, etc.

Shelter: The ddisplaced refugees living in temporary camps in Kachin State are in desperate need for better shelter as the monsoon season nears. Many refugees have no mats, blankets or mosquito nets with them and they sleep on a ground and a concrete floor.

Education: Refugee children needs education as a new school year begins for school children.

Immediate Protection: Most of the estimated 70,000 people displaced by fighting in Kachin and northern Shan state have taken shelter in refugee camps along the China border in territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). If threatened attacks against Laiza, the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization, there could be significant civilian casualties, and an even greater humanitarian crisis as people who have already fled their villages once, and are suffering from malnutrition and illness, try to flee again.

Proposal and appeal for Kachin Refugees:

Please protect the lives of Kachin Internal Displaced People from the hand of Burmese Military attack by recommending Burmese Troops to withdraw from the Kachin Independent Organization controlled areas.
Please Assist Displaced Kachins with temporary housings, foods, and medicines. Refugee children needs education as a new school year begins for school children.
Please urge the Burmese government to end its attacks by withdrawing Burmese troops and engaging in a meaningful dialogue with Kachin Independent Organization and ethnic nationalities.

Please help reach Kachin Refugees as a “Brother’s Keeper in Christ.” Your prompt and careful attention toward Kachin Refugee in Kachin state, Burma is greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

Respectfully,

La Seng Labya

Pastor

DFW Kachin Baptist Church

1000 West Lamar Blvd

Arlington, TX 76012.

214-228-4125

lasenglabya@msn.com