Thousands Flee Latest Fighting in Kachin State

Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint / Mizzima, November 18, 2013

A fresh outbreak of fighting in southern Kachin State between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army has forced more than 3,000 villagers to flee their homes, a spokesperson for a Roman Catholic aid group said on Sunday.

Nor Dint said about 1,000 residents of Namt Lin Par village, including people displaced by clashes last month, had fled on Saturday when government troops moved into the area. The fighting had erupted the next morning, he said.

“They started to shoot at each other at 7am and continued firing until 1pm,” said Nor Dint, whose aid group is based in the Catholic parish of Bhamo.

The villagers had sought refuge at the Man Wine Gyi camp for internally displaced people, near Mansi, which is a few miles south of Bhamo.

Nor Dint said the presence of government troops in the area had prevented the group from delivering relief supplies to Namt Lin Par on Saturday.

“Our van had to retreat and we were unable to provide the villagers with food,” Nor Dint said.

The latest fighting also resulted in about 2,300 people fleeing Kaung Lway and Sa Ga am Khawn villagers, reports from the area said.

The Kachin Baptist Convention said fighting which had broken out in the area on October 22 had resulted in about 2000 people seeking refuge in Bhamo township.

The latest fighting had taken in the number of IDPs in Mansi and Bhamo townships to 4,000, it said.

Government troops entered the area near Namt Lim Par last month under the terms of a ceasefire agreement which resulted in the KIA abandoning its positions in 10 nearby villages.

A member of the technical support team of the Union Peace-Making Work Committee, U Hla Maung Shwe, said that while he did not have detailed information about the latest fighting it might have been the result of misunderstandings.

“We would like to discuss these incidents at the negotiating table,” U Hla Maung Shwe said. “It is better not to have any conflicts.”