General N’Ban La, the chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), urged all able-bodied people from youths to the middle-aged to participate in the revolution to end Myanmar’s military dictatorship, in a speech on Friday marking the 64th anniversary of the KIO.
“Our Kachin national revolutionary journey has already lasted over 60 years, but we are yet to reach our goal. In this situation, achieving our ambition will require all our efforts,” he said.
“Therefore,” he said, “all people who are of an appropriate age and able-bodied shall participate in this very important revolution.”
Since the February 2021 coup, the KIA has been supporting the emergence of new revolutionary groups of young people opposing the junta military.
The KIA has also launched attacks on the military and coordinated with newly emerged resistance groups, including the People’s Defense Force under the civilian National Unity Government, in anti-junta offensives across Kachin State, the upper parts of Sagaing Region, and northern Shan State.
The KIO was founded on Oct. 25, 1960, and its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), was officially organized the following year.
N’Ban La, who became KIO chairman in 2018, reminded everyone that this is the best time to vanquish the military dictatorship in Myanmar by uniting all ethnic armed groups, including the new revolutionary forces that emerged after the Feb. 1, 2021, military coup.
The KIO has been establishing an administrative apparatus in the areas under its control and working to uphold the rule of law and rehabilitate internally displaced persons, he said.
Meanwhile, as military observers expected, the KIA has continued its offensive on Kanpiketi, the location of an official border trade post between the junta and China.
On Monday, the KIA captured the headquarters of Border Guard Force Battalion 1003 in Sin Kyaing (Shing Jai) Village, near the official border trade post, on the Waingmaw-Sadung-Kanpiketi Road, approximately 9.6 km from Kanpiketi town.
The KIO chairman pledged that his organization would continue cooperating with all other revolutionary groups to end the military dictatorship. He also urged militia groups under the junta’s control to join forces with the KIO.
“As for those militia groups involved in the junta’s administrative and military tasks, serving as our enemy’s servants, we have tried to persuade them to join us peacefully. As a result, some militia groups have disbanded, but others continue to serve the junta,” N’Ban La said.
After taking control of Pangwa, a town on the Chinese border, the KIA sealed off the house of junta-aligned militia leader Zahkung Ting Ying there.
The KIA and joint revolutionary groups have captured over 220 military junta bases and outposts since March this year.
In the three years since the military coup, the KIA and its allies have seized Momauk, Lwegel, Sumprabum, Sadone, Injangyang, Sinbo, Myo Thit, Dawthponeyang, Chipwi and Pangwa in Kachin State, and Mabein in northern Shan State.
