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Parliament under then Burmese Prime Minister U Nu declared Buddhism as the state religion, infuriating the mostly Christian Kachin population.
A group of educated young Kachin men founded the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and pledged to fight for a free Kachin republic. Intense fighting with the Burmese army ensued. -
Burmese Gen Ne Win, who came to power after staging a military coup, held peace talks with ethnic armed forces, including the Kachin. However, negotiations broke down after the ethnic representatives rejected Ne Win’s demands, which included a condition that their armed forces must be concentrated in designated zones and their activities must be disclosed to his regime. -
Brang Seng, the chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the KIA’s political wing, went to Rangoon and met with Ne Win for peace talks. He asked the Burmese government for Kachin State autonomy with self-determination. -
KIO delegates negotiated with Burmese military leaders over a ceasefire in KIA-controlled areas in Kachin State and Shan State. The KIO’s major demand was regional development. -
"The KIO's Ceasefire Agreement with the State Law and Order Restoration Council: A Step Towards Stability?" -
The KIO formally rejected the Burmese government’s plan to accept the Border Guard Force plan which would subjugate the KIA under Burmese military command. The KIO called for the emergence of a genuine federal state. Naypyidaw subsequently forced the closure of KIA liaison offices in Kachin State. -
The KIO sent a letter to the Chinese government to withdraw its investment from a massive hydropower dam project in Kachin State, warning that local resentment against this project could spark a civil war. -
Five jet fighters and two helicopters gunships have launched heavy attacks against the KIA outposts in Lajayang region, about 11 kilometers from Laiza. -
Burmese government and the KIA meet in Ruili, China and agreed to reduce military tension in Kachin State and hold further peace talks later. The event marks the beginning of a significant reduction in fighting. -
The Kachin Independence Organization and the Burmese government have agree to set up a peace monitoring commission during a ceasefire meeting in Myitkyina, Kachin State, but no ceasefire agreement is reached. -
The KIO was a significant player in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) process, but it did not sign the NCA, citing concerns over the central government’s lack of commitment to genuine federalism and autonomy for ethnic groups. -
After a period of relative calm, fighting flared up again in 2016 as the KIA rejected a new government military initiative to force ethnic armed groups to integrate into the Border Guard Force (BGF). This marked the resumption of full-scale clashes between the KIA and the Tatmadaw. -
2018: Despite sporadic peace talks, including a few rounds facilitated by China, no comprehensive resolution was reached. Tensions remained high, especially over disputes regarding hydropower projects and natural resources. 2019: The KIO continued to be a key player in the broader anti-junta resistance movement, with its forces clashing with the Burmese military, particularly along the border areas. -
The KIO has actively participated in the People's Defense Forces (PDF), formed by the NUG, in opposition to the junta. The KIA has been involved in hit-and-run guerrilla tactics, and there have been frequent clashes between the KIO and the Burmese military, particularly near key areas like Myitkyina and Bhamo. Despite ongoing peace talks, there has been little progress toward a sustainable ceasefire, and the KIO continues to push for a federal system and greater autonomy for the Kachin people.