1. 

KIO/KIA troops had been surrounding Lajayan outpost, ambushing military columns which are transporting rations to Lajayan outpost, blocking Myitkyina-Bhamo  Union  Highway  disabling public  use,  and  blasting  bridges  since  March 2012 in Lajayan of Kachin State. The Tatmadaw therefore had  to  launch  attack  on  KIO/KIA strongholds including Point 771 hill beginning 27 December, 2012.

2.

The Tatmadaw, since  the  resumption of fight between it and KIO/ KIA in  June 2011,  had launched    counter- firingonly for self-defence in line with instructions of the President. However 35 Tatmadaw men fell and 190 were wounded as KIO/KIA troops ambushed military convoys transporting rations to Tatmadaw men in Lajayan outpost for three times. Lajayan outpost has been a military outpost from which the Tatmadaw troops undertook regional    security even before ceasefire agreement  in  1994  (before  KIO/KIA  had  built their Laiza Camp) and the Tatmadaw troops had also  informed  KIO/KIA  that  rations  would  be transported to the outpost. In spite of this, KIO/KIA  intercepted those  convoys.  As foodstuffs could not be sent to Lajayan outpost, rations ran out there and theTatmadaw men therefore had to clear unavoidably the areas of KIO/KIA just for survival.

3.

The   army  asked supporting fire   from  the    Air   Force just to make sure accurate hitting of KIO/KIA targets and to avoid hitting civilian targets. KIO/KIA troops had sieged the Lajayan outpost setting up barbed wire cutting off its contact with outside world and  thus  Tatmadaw  men  there had nothing to choose    but to fight. Though the Tatmadaw had decided to move its outposts through negotiations at table, KIO/KIA failed to come to the table. Their rejection of invitation from the government and failure to come to Shweli negotiation had led to aforesaid fights.

4.  

The Tatmadaw as it has achieved limited objectives for security of Myitkyina-Bhamo Union Highway will stop its operation beginning 0600 hrs on 19 January, 2013.

5. 

The Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services reaffirmed that the military would strictly adhere to the instruction of the President not to fight  exceptfor self-defence. Nonetheless, both sides will  need  to stop fighting so  as to ease tensions in the armed conflict. Therefore, KIO/KIA is urged to order its troops not to attack the Tatmadaw troops first. Studying the revious events, until the instruction from President Office was          issued, KIO/KIA had blasted roads and bridges for 122 times, attacked military outposts for 64 times, robbed for 60 times, recruited andabducted civilians for 28 times while civilians came under mine attacks for 30 times. KIO/KIA troops engaged with military columns for 1095 times and    many   officers and other ranks were killed and wounded in those incidents.

6. 

In addition, KIO/KIA troops should not block or blast motor roads and railroads in public use in consideration of the people who are in trouble due to skirmishes in Kachin State. For the time being, as KIO/KIA troops have mounted mine blast attacks on Mandalay-Myitkyina Railroad for  56  times,  Myitkyina-Sumprabum-Putao Railroad  for  15  times,  and  Myitkyina-Bhamo motor road for 42 times, killing and wounding civilians and disrupting normal transportation. The attacks have resulted in commodity price rise in Kachin State, particularly locals in Putao are facing shortage of food and the Tatmadaw has sent food supplies to the area by military plane. As the Tatmadaw has instructed its troops not to attack civilian targets, KIO/KIO on its part will need to stop attacking public transportation facilities like railroads and motor roads. Only then military tensions will ease and economic, social assistance could be given and rehabilitation works undertaken more for locals.

7.      

The government  will proceed with ceasefire agreements to strong political dialogues in order to make lasting peace with all ethnic armed groups for   national reunification and unity. It  will also continue peace talks with KIO/KIA. In future negotiations, decision makers  from  KIO/KIA need to negotiate with the representatives from the Tatmadaw.

8. 

The government is ready to join hands with all national people including KIO/KIA to be able to build peace and national unity in Kachin State.      

Information Team