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| Myanmar Announces a Cease-Fire in Assault Against Kachin Rebels | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BANGKOK — After weeks of intense fighting near the border with China, the Myanmar government on Friday announced what appeared to be a unilateral cease-fire in its offensive against ethnic Kachin rebels. The government also said it would pursue peace talks, but it was unclear how the rebels would react to the government’s overtures. | BANGKOK — After weeks of intense fighting near the border with China, the Myanmar government on Friday announced what appeared to be a unilateral cease-fire in its offensive against ethnic Kachin rebels. The government also said it would pursue peace talks, but it was unclear how the rebels would react to the government’s overtures. |
| The announcement of a cease-fire, to start Saturday, was made during the main evening newscast and came only hours after Parliament approved a resolution calling for an end to a year and a half of fighting. Myanmar’s actions have come under increased scrutiny by an international community fearful that the country, an emerging democracy, will backslide. | The announcement of a cease-fire, to start Saturday, was made during the main evening newscast and came only hours after Parliament approved a resolution calling for an end to a year and a half of fighting. Myanmar’s actions have come under increased scrutiny by an international community fearful that the country, an emerging democracy, will backslide. |
| China, an ally worried about an influx of refugees, as well as the shells that have landed on its side of the border, had also been vocal and called for a cease-fire, according to Xinhua, China’s state news agency. | China, an ally worried about an influx of refugees, as well as the shells that have landed on its side of the border, had also been vocal and called for a cease-fire, according to Xinhua, China’s state news agency. |
| Many questions remain about the cease-fire, including whether the military — which has been gaining territory almost daily — will comply with the order. Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by a military junta until 2011 and is still transitioning to more democratic rule, with the roles of its leaders still evolving. President Thein Sein — who is not the commander in chief under the country’s new Constitution — had suggested several times that the army was not supposed to go on the offensive but was to act only in defense, though it has been unclear how strongly he was pushing the army to stop fighting. | Many questions remain about the cease-fire, including whether the military — which has been gaining territory almost daily — will comply with the order. Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by a military junta until 2011 and is still transitioning to more democratic rule, with the roles of its leaders still evolving. President Thein Sein — who is not the commander in chief under the country’s new Constitution — had suggested several times that the army was not supposed to go on the offensive but was to act only in defense, though it has been unclear how strongly he was pushing the army to stop fighting. |
| Friday’s announcement was much more detailed, including a precise time (by 6 a.m. Saturday) when the cease-fire was supposed to go into effect. | Friday’s announcement was much more detailed, including a precise time (by 6 a.m. Saturday) when the cease-fire was supposed to go into effect. |
| One leading Kachin voice, the Rev. Samson Hkalam, the general secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention, said by telephone that he was skeptical of the announcement. | One leading Kachin voice, the Rev. Samson Hkalam, the general secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention, said by telephone that he was skeptical of the announcement. |
| “According to our experience, the declarations by the government are one thing,” he said. “What the army does is another.” | “According to our experience, the declarations by the government are one thing,” he said. “What the army does is another.” |
| He also said the cease-fire was limited. “There are many areas that Myanmar troops occupy,” he said. “The cease-fire applies to only one area.” | He also said the cease-fire was limited. “There are many areas that Myanmar troops occupy,” he said. “The cease-fire applies to only one area.” |
| According to the government announcement, the cease-fire applies to the area around the town of Lajayang, the site of the major fighting. It is not known what that means for the rest of Kachin State, where the rebels control pockets of territory. | According to the government announcement, the cease-fire applies to the area around the town of Lajayang, the site of the major fighting. It is not known what that means for the rest of Kachin State, where the rebels control pockets of territory. |
| The statement said the military had “concluded its conditional mission” in the Lajayang offensive and had secured the “safety of troops.” It said there had been more than a thousand “battles” between the rebels and government troops since Dec. 10. The government also said the military had suffered many casualties, but did not give a number. A military officer, however, said 218 troops had been killed and 764 wounded since Nov. 15, according to an official tally. The officer requested anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. | The statement said the military had “concluded its conditional mission” in the Lajayang offensive and had secured the “safety of troops.” It said there had been more than a thousand “battles” between the rebels and government troops since Dec. 10. The government also said the military had suffered many casualties, but did not give a number. A military officer, however, said 218 troops had been killed and 764 wounded since Nov. 15, according to an official tally. The officer requested anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. |
| The cease-fire announcement came as the commander in chief of Myanmar’s armed forces, Vice Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, is on an official visit to Singapore and Malaysia. | The cease-fire announcement came as the commander in chief of Myanmar’s armed forces, Vice Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, is on an official visit to Singapore and Malaysia. |
| The Myanmar military has intensified its campaign against the Kachin rebels since the end of December, and witnesses have described frequent shelling in and around the town of Laiza, the rebel base. | The Myanmar military has intensified its campaign against the Kachin rebels since the end of December, and witnesses have described frequent shelling in and around the town of Laiza, the rebel base. |
| The central government’s relationship with its many minorities is considered a crucial gauge — for those inside and outside the country — of the reforms that Mr. Thein Sein has been carrying out since coming to power in March 2011 and that have helped lead to a suspension of sanctions by the United States and other countries. | The central government’s relationship with its many minorities is considered a crucial gauge — for those inside and outside the country — of the reforms that Mr. Thein Sein has been carrying out since coming to power in March 2011 and that have helped lead to a suspension of sanctions by the United States and other countries. |
| The hostilities with the Kachin have already increased tensions among other ethnic groups, a point underlined by a statement issued by the leaders of the Wa, a group that has a cease-fire agreement with the government but still has thousands of men under arms. | The hostilities with the Kachin have already increased tensions among other ethnic groups, a point underlined by a statement issued by the leaders of the Wa, a group that has a cease-fire agreement with the government but still has thousands of men under arms. |
| The statement, which was co-signed by two other groups, warned of a return to civil war in Myanmar. “The country will return backward” if the fighting does not stop, the statement said. | The statement, which was co-signed by two other groups, warned of a return to civil war in Myanmar. “The country will return backward” if the fighting does not stop, the statement said. |
| The debates leading up to the cease-fire have been notable for the relative absence of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel laureate, who was quoted this week as saying that she would not take a major role in trying to end the fighting because it was not the purview of her parliamentary committee. | The debates leading up to the cease-fire have been notable for the relative absence of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel laureate, who was quoted this week as saying that she would not take a major role in trying to end the fighting because it was not the purview of her parliamentary committee. |
| Instead, the speaker of the lower house of Parliament, Thura Shwe Mann, a former general, commanded the spotlight. He rushed the motion for an immediate halt to hostilities in Kachin State to a vote — without discussion — because he said the issue was “vital for the country,” according to Burmese news reports. The strong call was notable because it appeared to reflect the growing influence of Parliament — an institution that did not exist under military rule. | Instead, the speaker of the lower house of Parliament, Thura Shwe Mann, a former general, commanded the spotlight. He rushed the motion for an immediate halt to hostilities in Kachin State to a vote — without discussion — because he said the issue was “vital for the country,” according to Burmese news reports. The strong call was notable because it appeared to reflect the growing influence of Parliament — an institution that did not exist under military rule. |
| Before the Myanmar government’s announcement, official Chinese news organizations reported that Burmese refugees fleeing the fighting had entered southwestern China, where many were living with relatives and friends. | Before the Myanmar government’s announcement, official Chinese news organizations reported that Burmese refugees fleeing the fighting had entered southwestern China, where many were living with relatives and friends. |
| The reports, which appeared this week, said the number of those arriving in China was growing, but did not give estimates. An article published online by People’s Daily, controlled by the Communist Party, said some hotels near the border between Yunnan Province and Kachin State were fully booked. | The reports, which appeared this week, said the number of those arriving in China was growing, but did not give estimates. An article published online by People’s Daily, controlled by the Communist Party, said some hotels near the border between Yunnan Province and Kachin State were fully booked. |
| The Myanmar Army has been pressing a campaign against the rebel Kachin Independence Army since June 2011, when a 17-year cease-fire collapsed. The rebels controlled a large area in Kachin State and protected it as an autonomous region. The fighting has disrupted Chinese hydroelectric projects in the region and jade mining, an important part of the border trade in Yunnan. | The Myanmar Army has been pressing a campaign against the rebel Kachin Independence Army since June 2011, when a 17-year cease-fire collapsed. The rebels controlled a large area in Kachin State and protected it as an autonomous region. The fighting has disrupted Chinese hydroelectric projects in the region and jade mining, an important part of the border trade in Yunnan. |
| Thousands of Kachin, who are mostly Christian, crossed into Yunnan after the breakdown of the 2011 cease-fire, and many took shelter in refugee camps. Chinese Christians provided aid, as did ethnic Kachin living in China, who are called Jingpo in Mandarin. Last August, officials in Yunnan forced most of the refugees to leave the camps and return to the war zone, drawing criticism from Human Rights Watch and other groups. | Thousands of Kachin, who are mostly Christian, crossed into Yunnan after the breakdown of the 2011 cease-fire, and many took shelter in refugee camps. Chinese Christians provided aid, as did ethnic Kachin living in China, who are called Jingpo in Mandarin. Last August, officials in Yunnan forced most of the refugees to leave the camps and return to the war zone, drawing criticism from Human Rights Watch and other groups. |
Thomas Fuller reported from Bangkok and Edward Wong from Beijing. Wai Moe contributed reporting from Yangon, Myanmar. | Thomas Fuller reported from Bangkok and Edward Wong from Beijing. Wai Moe contributed reporting from Yangon, Myanmar. |