A visit by the Military junta chief to the northern state of Kachin this week was disrupted by a road blockade on the road to Putao and a protest in the state capital, Myitkyina.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Kachin State at 10 am on 18 September. He was accompanied by almost all the military top brass, except his deputy, Vice Senior General Soe Win.
The purported aims of his two-day trip included fostering military strength in the area in collaboration with the border guard forces and local militia forces, according to the sources close to the northern command headquarters.
Rallying support
The visit to the northern state is likely important to the junta as the state is home to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) that was avoiding major arm clashes in their area as it was trying to make a tentative ceasefire agreement since December 2018.
However, after the coup on 1 February, the KIA launched its defensive war on 11 March to stand with all the ethnic people in response to the brutal attacks of the military.
Since then, the junta has been increasing its military power through the deployment of thousands of its troops and large amount of weapons at their military bases in Kachin State.
As support to the people’s revolution, the KIA has been conducting military training and providing military equipment to the youth who are taking part in fighting against the junta. They are also giving shelter in their controlled area for political activists and former MPs of the National League for Democracy party, who have fled from arbitrary arrest of the regime.
The acting Vice-President of the National Unity Government Duwa Lashi La has close relationship with KIA and Kachin political groups. The administrative mechanism of the NUG also includes some individuals supported by the KIA.
Therefore, the junta chief and his group see the KIA as a powerful ethnic armed group which is now supporting the Spring Revolution with the aim to remove the junta, hence the junta’s focus on the state.
Junta troops suffered serious losses from ambushes of the KIA. And the junta chief reportedly tried to engage with border guard forces during his trip with the promise of military support.
However, the patron of the border guard forces U Za Khon Teint Yein did not receive the junta chief. Instead, a delegation of BGF attended the meeting, according the sources familiar with the issue.
“In the past, the BGF leaders and their security personnel came to Myitkyina Township to hold a meeting with the military chief. However, their top leaders, as well as their security teams, are not seen in the delegation this time,” said a source close to BGF.
The BGF brigades 1001, 1002, 1003, etc. have their bases in mountainous areas of Sawlaw, Panwa and Kanpaiktee in Kachin State.
The Shanni Nationalities Army will reportedly receive military equipment from the northern military command.
Shan ethnic militia groups are now protecting illegal gold miners along the Ayeyarwady river near Sinbo and Tarlawgyi villages of Myitkyina Township.
Cancellation of trip to Putao
Although the junta chief visited Putao several times in the past, he was unable to make a trip there this time. As the junta regime is likely to expand its military arms during the trip of their chief to Putao, the KIA blocked the road between Putao and Myitkyina for three days beginning 19 September.
“The junta chief scheduled Putao trip to meet with its troops and local border guard forces, but the road was blocked to prevent the access of his forces,” said the locals.
The KIA headquarters said the decision to block the way was made just by local commanders in consideration of military strategy.
Some analysts remarked that the junta chief cancelled the trip to Putao due to the action of the KIA which is believed to possess anti-aircraft missiles.
With personal trust in astrological influences, top military leaders used to visit Putao for magical rituals. U Myint Swe, the former vice president under the NLD government and then appointed as the President by the junta, visited Putao one day ahead of the coup.
Protest in Myitkyina
Youth took to the streets of the Kachin capital Myitkyina on 19 September to protest against the visit of the junta chief shouting “Get out from Kachin land”.
Avoiding tight security in Myitkyina, protesters moved around the capital, carrying banners with ‘Get out from Kachin land’ and ‘There is no way to negotiate a blood debt’.
Controversial welcome
The junta chief visited the headquarters of the Kachin State Administration Council in Myitkyina.
The junta-appointed local Chief Minister faced harsh criticism from the local community for its controversial welcome to the junta chief with Kachin traditional costume, including traditional dress, bag and silver sword.
Kachin people remarked that the chief minister misused their tradition in welcoming the junta leader. Local ethnic people had no interest in the previous visits of the junta chief, but this time they expressed their bitter opposition to him due to the coup.
The junta-appointed chief minister and his family members have faced condemnation and social punishment of local people since he took the incumbent position. Angry denunciation of his family has popped up on social media due to the recent visit of the junta chief.
In the end, the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Kachin State provided a significant contrast to his previous visits with he was just Military chief and indicated the limits to his power.
