Burma Launches Air Strikes Against Kachin Rebels

The Burmese government has confirmed that it carried out air strikes this week against ethnic rebels in northern Kachin state, raising fresh concerns about the country's reform and fragile peace processes.

In an interview with VOA's Burmese Service on Wednesday, a government spokesperson acknowledged that "training jets" were used against Kachin rebels in response to attacks by the Kachin Independence Organization.

Some government officials had at first denied carrying out an air offensive in rebel-held territory. But officials later said the army used air strikes to help regain a base during an increase in fighting that began last week.

Each side has blamed the other for the escalation in violence, which broke out near rebel headquarters in Laiza, near the Chinese border.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced since June 2011, when fighting broke out between the army and Kachin rebels, ending a 17-year ceasefire.

Ethnic groups in the northern part of the country have long accused the government of repressing them, and have been fighting for greater autonomy in their traditional states.

The Kachin is the only major ethnic rebel group not to reach a cease-fire agreement with the government of President Thein Sein, who has enacted a series of reforms since coming to power in 2011.

Observers say renewed fighting in Kachin state and ongoing sectarian violence in western Rakhine state have threatened to undermine the country's political reforms.

China, Myanmar to further military cooperation

Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), held a meeting with Soe Win, the visiting deputy commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and commander of the Myanmar Army，in Beijing on the morning of November 16, 2012.

Qi Jianguo and his Myanmar guest had in-depth exchange of views on regional security situation, the China-Myanmar relations, the military-to-military relations between the two countries and other issues of common concern, with significant consensus being achieved.

The China-Myanmar relations have withstood tests from the changeable international situations in the past 60-odd years since the establishment of the diplomatic relations, and the long-term mutual understanding and mutual support between the two countries have achieved fruitful accomplishments, Qi Jianguo said.

The relations between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Myanmar Armed Forces are an important component in the relations between the two countries. The Chinese PLA and the Myanmar Armed Forces have conducted in-depth and pragmatic communications in terms of high-level exchange of visits, equipment technological cooperation, personnel training, border control and so on, which have exerted active effects in promoting the comprehensive development of the relations between the two countries, Qi Jianguo added.

Qi Jianguo also expressed that during the new historical era, Chinese PLA will continue to enhance the strategic communications with the Myanmar Armed Forces in order to increase the strategic mutual trust and deepen strategic cooperation.

U Tin Oo, Myanmar ambassador to China, also attended the meeting.

Myanmar Could Join U.S.-led Cobra Gold Exercises

 The United States plans to invite Myanmar to a major regional military exercise next year, host country Thailand said Oct. 19, reflecting a dramatic easing of tensions between the former foes.

The move would see Myanmar’s military, which ruled the nation with an iron fist for almost half a century and is accused of a litany of human rights abuses, join the annual Cobra Gold drills as an observer.

“Myanmar is on the list of observers but it’s not finalized yet,” Thai Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsang said, adding that the participants would discuss the idea at a meeting later this month.

Cobra Gold is the United States’ largest multilateral exercise in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing together thousands of troops from the United States, Thailand and other countries for field training.

Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia are expected to participate next year along with 13 observer nations, Thai officials said.

Past survival training sessions have seen troops drink snake blood and behead chickens.

The proposal to invite Myanmar was Washington’s initiative, according to a senior Thai military official who did not want to be named.

“If all members agree ... it will become official,” he said.

A U.S. embassy spokesman declined to comment.

Relations between the United States and Myanmar have improved markedly since President Thein Sein took power 18 months ago, ushering in a period of rapid political reforms in the former pariah state.

Thein made a landmark trip to New York last month, becoming the first Myanmar leader to speak to the U.N. General Assembly, following a series of visits to Myanmar by U.S. officials including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The regime has released hundreds of political prisoners, welcomed Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition party back into mainstream politics and inked a series of cease-fire deals with ethnic minority rebels.

In response the United States and other Western countries have begun rolling back sanctions, despite concerns about an ethnic conflict raging in northern Kachin state and a surge in communal violence in western Rakhine.

New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Muslims in Rakhine, an accusation denied by the government.

Washington has also urged Myanmar to cut military ties with North Korea. Thein’s government has said that it will abide by U.N. resolutions banning weapons exports from the secretive communist state.