Security tightened in Kachin State

After skirmishes took place between the army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the Hpakant area between June 15 and 23, a few police stations, inspection gates, Military Security Affairs Department offices were attacked with hand grenades and homemade bombs. Two officers were injured, and a total of six bombs were detonated.
“We’ve heard that the KIA has been collecting extortion money on the Hpakant road. Some skirmishes took place near Hpakant, but I haven’t heard about any more skirmishes lately. In recent days, there have been incidents of the KIA throwing homemade bombs at places where police officers have been serving their duties and the offices of the Military Security Affairs Department and running away. The [KIA] officers who have returned to the legal fold and those who have been captured with weapons during inspections made these revelations. When we were doing the inspections in Hpakant last week, we captured some people with weapons and mines. During the interrogations, they admitted that they were from the KIA. Based on this [evidence], we believe the KIA [is responsible for the bomb blasts],” said the Police Deputy Superintendent of the Kachin State Police Department.
“It is our duty to protect the public in this kind of situation. We have increased security rounds for both nightfall and nighttime, especially in cities connected to the KIA. We are carrying out the same security tasks in other cities. The KIA has not been setting up camp on the Hpakant road to collect the extortion money. They were just collecting randomly,” he said.
“Local residents and government staff have expressed worry about the high military tension in the Hpakant area, and the collection of extortion money and bomb blast issues are just military retaliations,” said Daung Khar, spokesperson of the KIO (Kachin Independence Organisation) technical advisory team.
“The incident in Hpakant was a normal incident. I don’t want to give any comment. The KIA has not given its view of the Hpakant incident. Regarding the bomb blasts in Hpakant area, they are incidents of the KIA defending itself and retaliating. As for the timber issue, we have advised [the authorities] to capture [illegal timber exporters] on our roads. The military wants to do something else. As for the collection of extortion money, the government collects them, so we also collect them for our military affairs. It’s not at the instruction of KIO Central. The [KIA’s] regiments at the bottom collect them. The public can’t pressure the government to solve the current conflicts, and the government can’t handle them. We haven’t found any solutions to solve them. We don’t know when the two conflicting sides will meet. In this meeting, Kachin State’s Security and Border Affairs Minister is the leader from the government’s side, but the military handles all military affairs. As for us, we only need a colonel to represent us,” said Daung Khar.
This is the first skirmish in four months after skirmishes broke out between the army and the KIA from January 16 to February 3 after the KIA stopped the convoy of the Kachin State Minister of Transport Kaman Dunaw on January 14 and captured three security officers.
Since skirmishes broke out between the army and the KIA in Momauk Township in 2011, the war spread throughout Kachin State. The government banned jade mining in Hpakant in May 2012 and re-allowed it two years later in September 2014.
Approximately 100,000 people have been internally displaced by the renewed clashes in Kachin State. Most have had to take shelter in IDPs camps for over four years.
Law enforcement and security authorities are checking for the bombs at every entry to Myitkyina, including the airport, harbor gate and junctions within the city. After 9pm, travelers are only allowed to pass through Balaminhtin Bridge in case of emergency, and only after undergoing close inspection.
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Green light for Yangon expansion plan
Kyaw Htin
Myanmar
A proposal to implement the “Greater Yangon Strategic Plan 2040” submitted by city mayor Hla Myint has been approved by the regional parliament amid widespread criticism.
MP Win Naing supported the extension plan that covers seven proposed sites measuring more than 0.1 million acres, despite MPs U Kyaw and Dr Nyo Nyo Thin opposing it.
Nyo Nyo Thin said: “This proposal is the combination of six other projects with some paragraphs contained in the recently suspended ‘Yangon new city plan’. There are many questions from the public about it. People have raised concerns that the government has submitted plans when there is only nine months of its term left. There are concerns that relatives and friends of members of the regional government have bought the land.
 “Given the unlawful confiscation of farmland, black money, the secret formation of a committee for each project and lack of transparency, the parliament should have opposed the scheme,” she added.
Mayor Hla Myint said the proposed seven sites contained in the extension plan were nothing to do with the previous town plan. He said under existing farmland laws, the handover of farmland permits could be done only with the prior approval of landowners and there would be no forced seizures of farmland under the current government.
“The priority for the new town plan will be land management and the development of basic infrastructure. The proposal is just a concept not a detailed plan. Only after getting the green light from the parliament will we conduct a socio-economic survey and choose the sites. It will take time to draft a detailed plan,” the mayor added.
The seven sites chosen for the new towns are Yangon west-east Myothit, Yangon southeast Myothit, Thanlyin Myothit, Dala Myothit, Htantabin Myothit, Hmawbi Myothit and Hlegu Myothit. These projects included direct implementation by the regional government and joint partnerships with union ministries, the mayor said.
Nyo Nyo Thin told the media after the session: “The president issued an order to suspend the Yangon new city plan in September 2014. This town extension proposal includes the suspended new town plan. It amounts to deceiving the public.”