2 JANUARY 2013
88 generation students said pressure cannot bring about peace .
Regarding the fighting between the government troops and KIO, a press conference was held at Tawwin Hninsi restaurant on December 29 by well- wishers of peace and ending civil war.
Well-wishers of peace including Ko Mya Aye(88 GS) and Ko Bo Bo held this press conference.
88 GENERATION STUDENTS STATEMENT KACHIN WAR
“ If we see the wars between Arab and Israel, it is found that negotiation under pressure never gives peace.” said Ko Mya Aye ( 88 GS ) . He then said,” I doubt government’s endeavor, because there is no visible progress in a year- long peace talk.”
Ma Phyo Phyo Aung commented that it is not difficult for both sides to get peace when both sides have fervent desire ; leaders of both sides have responsibilities and the government is more responsible for peace than the KIA.
Ko Bo Bo criticized Chinese’s refusal to accept the entering of refugees from Kachin state. “They (People Liberation Army) blocked off the border after fighting has intensified; refugees are at risk in their region if they remain there; everyone wants to survive. Even in this occasion the Chinese authorities refused temporary refuge in their area. We cannot accept this inhumane behaviour”, said Ko Bo Bo.
He added that racial discrimination has increased in this area and the current conflicts cannot be solved by the use of violence; evasive laws imposed in 2008 Constitution have made those problems occur and people are requested to cooperate with them in endeavoring to have peace.
They asked for seven-points of request to both sides at the press conference. Their demands are ; to stop offensive from both sides immediately, to make sure civilians are protected from being killed by war, to create a demilitarized zone and to make sure both side troops immediately leave this zone, to make sure that transparent political negotiations appear with the help of mediators at home and abroad who are able to intervene in the conflict and to make sure people’s representatives are allowed to participate in peace process and so on.
Fighting broke out again after the KIO had been invited to discuss peace by a peace negotiation team led by Union Minister U Aung Min on December 14.
One innocent villager was killed and four were injured in the conflict on 27 in this month as the government used air strikes and artillery. The government launched offensive into the KIO area using not only artillery but air bombing.
