Blog #12: Myanmar's Karen Union Urges Caution on Lifting Sanctions

Now that the US and Europe are more willing to lift their sanctions of the country of Myanmar, the Karen National Union (KNU), is urging them to wait for more political reforms in the country. Specifically, the KNU is urging that the US and Europe wait for a last national cease fire.The possibility of ending the ethnic conflict in Myanmar, formally Burma, was discussed just last week when Myanmar's president Thein Sein and opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, met to have a talk of peace.

On Friday (April 14th), the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Myanmar leaders are supposed to meet and Prime Minister Cameron will help to push to end sanctions if he is satisfied with the political reforms in process. The reforms that have already been implemented are making the country look good to the west. For example, president Thein Sein has affirmed his commitment to taking the KNU off the list of outlawed organizations. There have also been meetings between the government and the KNU to talk about forming a "code of conduct" for the cease-fire that includes how the Myanmar military should treat ethnic minority civilians. 

The US and Europe are willing to lift the sanctions because of all the positive change and political reforms that are happening and are predicted to happen. Now, they just have to see it to really believe it. The latest peace talks have been about making this former military state into a democratic nation that will be able to freely trade with the West. Although the reforms are shown to be for the good of the people, it is also for economic gains as well. Having these western super powers lift their sanctions on the country will greatly help out their economy and help them to expand.  However, none of this will happen if there is no cease-fire.

I think it is very wise that the KNU's leader, the famous Aung San Suu Kyi, is advising that the US and Europe wait before they release their sanctions on Myanmar. What if the country waits for them to lift the sanctions and then the revert back to their old ways? It would be one of those situations where the Burmese can say, "Ha! Jokes on you!" I also think that they need a true cease-fire before anything will change. There has to be an agreement that will stick so that no more innocent people will be killed. There also needs to be a section in the agreement that discusses the proper behavior of the military, since they have not behaved properly during this time. To me, it is amazing what developing countries will do to get the aid of the US and Europe. These countries hold so much power in the world and they have the power to encourage change without violence. However, if they can help Myanmar to change, can they help other developing nations? I'm wondering why the US is so interested in Myanmar in the first place? There has to be a political or resourceful gain that comes with the country. The first thing that comes to mind for me is that Myanmar is right on the edge of China. Maybe the US sees that as an access point, but I am not sure. The one thing I can say about our country is that we don't often do things just to be helpful, usually we have some personal reason involved, but who knows? I am just glad to see the conflict slowly coming to an end.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304356604577340861779975858.html

Blog 11: Myanmar’s most enduring rebel movement restarts cease-fire talks with government

Things in Myanmar are picking up again with the election that elected Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy, forty-three of the seats of the government on Sunday, April 1st. There had been issues with her trying to obtain some power in the government because her political movement is somewhat allied with the ideas of the ethnic groups that are in conflict with the Burmese. However, being elected along with member of her party and their forty-three house seats has moved ethnic rebel groups to be willing to reopen cease-fire talks with the government.

President Thein Sein has been and is still seeking cease-fires with ethnic rebel groups and I believe that the main reason that these cease-fire agreements have been reopened is because the National League for Democracy finally has a say in government politics for the first time. The cease -fires are part of the political reform that Thein Sein is trying to put forth in Myanmar.

The Karen National Union (KAU) says that two sides met Wednesday (April 4th) near the rebel headquarters on the Thai border where they discussed possibly setting up a "code of conduct" for maintaining the cease-fire agreements. They also discussed having a team that would monitor the agreement and manage it.

Most of the ethnic groups that are having issues with the government simply ask that they be allowed more autonomy in order to ensure that the peace will continue. Despite the fighting between the Kachin and the Burmese Army that continues on in the North, the KAU wants peace among the people just like president Thein Sein.

After being under military rule for such a long time, I believe that it is more than understandable that the minority ethnic groups in Myanmar want to be recognized in government and politics. In order to have a democracy, ideally all the people in the country should have equal rights, but that is not always the case. The government seems to be dragging their feet in order to allow these groups more autonomy and I'm still not really understanding why. I think that it may have something to do with how the government keeps order, but recognizing that these groups exist is the only first step that they can take in order to move closer to ending the violence in the country. Now that the National League of Democracy has major power in the government, I foresee more positive change in the future for Myanmar and allowing the NLD to have power is definitely a step in the right direction.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/myanmars-most-enduring-rebels-embark-on-new-round-of-cease-fire-talks-with-government/2012/04/04/gIQAVfWhuS_story.html

Blog #9 : Libya ethnic conflict risks spilling over borders

Taking a break from the conflicts in Myanmar, this blog entry focuses on Libya, specifically southeastern Libya. According to Capital News, which is based out of Kenya, the conflict between the Toubou and the Zawiya is causing a lot of issues because it is spilling over into the other triangle of countries surrounding Libya (Chad, Sudan, and Egypt). The other countries along with Libya are trying to keep the fighting from spreading to other countries, but not with a lot of success. The police force is capturing every illegal immigrant they can find so that they can be deported back to their home country in order to keep the peace.

The "Sheild of Libya" brigade is the force which keeps the fighting and other illegal practices under control across the boarders. Right now, the fighting has stopped because of an army mandated truce, but the Toubou are fighting for their revenge and power. Even though they are not physically fighting the Zawiya, they are dominant in their other illegal activities, which gain some power within the region.

There is a lot of smuggling going on in the area. Southeastern Libya is one of the epicenters of transit for trafficking items, substances, and people. They are smuggling in drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, weapons, counterfit items, and most importantly, illegal immigrants. These immigrants are trying to escape to Europe. Most of these immigrants are trying to flee their war torn countries, but they are being treated as though they are coming to assist in the fighting that has claimed many lives in the last month.

Of course when it comes to the specific groups, the Zawiya are mad because they believe that the Toubou are being helped by foreigners and the Toubou believe that the Zawiya have commited genocide and an ethnic cleansing among their people. Right now, each group is threatening to reignite the fighting because of the smuggling and under the table violence that is going on right now.

I think it is so sad how much of Africa has to live in ethnically torn areas. Many African countries are torn by war and I don't believe that that is a good life for anyone, especially children. At the end of the article there is a mention of teenage rebel soilders. I can't imagine what it feels like to be fifteen and a soilder in a rebel army, commiting crime after crime. When I was fifteen I was more worried about my first marching band performance or whether or not I wanted to take AP classes, not a war.

What's even worse and maybe the scariest thing about war is the possibility that it may spread. If the conflict was to spread it could easily take over those countries that cover the Sahara. What would they do then? Who would help them? The Europeans stepped in already and messed up the dynamics of Africa and left the continent war torn and underdeveloped. They took what they wanted from the land and then left the countries, creating a dynamic that put one ethnicity over the other. I think that we, the western countries, need to figure out ways to go in and fix what we essentially started in the first place.

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/03/libya-ethnic-conflict-risks-spilling-over-borders/

Blog #7: Myanmar President Vows More Democratic Reform

Continuing on following the ethnic conflict in Myanmar, ABC News posted an article on Thursday about Myanmar's President, Thein Sein, and his comments promising an improved government in Myanmar. President Thein Sein is proclaiming that the Burmese government will build on the reforms that is began last year, when he took office, and will work hard to convince those world powers who are skeptical that they are committed to democratic change. The world powers they are trying to convince, the United States and the European Union, are noticing the changes that are happening and applaud the country for its move toward a government with more freedom. Since President Thein Sein took office a year ago, there have been some major changes in the country. He freed many political prisoners, signed cease fires with armed rebel groups (like the Kachin Independence Army), eased restrictions on the press, and opened a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. As impressive as President Thein Sein's list of accomplishments is on paper, looking at the current condition of the country is evidence that his efforts are not being followed in some areas.

Apparently, the Burmese army is still wreaking havoc throughout the country, especially to the Kachin people, raping women and killing innocent civilians. The President signed a cease fire so that the army would stop its attacks, but the military generals from the old government, before democracy, are really running the show. President Thein Sein seems to be under the impression he has the power, but really, the military still runs the show, behind the scenes.

The obvious issues in the country that are going unnoticed by no one except President Thein Sein himself are causing the US and the European Union to be wary of opening trade with the country. They are waiting until April elections to see what will become of this superficially democratic country.

Myanmar's situation seems to be the most difficult to fix because if the military isn't listening to the president and the rebels are not going to budge, what will stop the army? The military leaders? Who will get rid of them? There is a section of Burmese law where it talks about circumstances where the army doesn't have to listen to the president's orders. That makes things extremely hard and with things as rocky and complicated as they are, no country is going to step in for fear of making things worse.

President Thein Sein is so fixed on trying to make the country look good, I do not feel as though he is doing enough to fix the issues. I want to know what his plans are to reign in his military and fix the ethnically torn country. Instead of promising certain ethnic groups, like the Kachin, that they will get their political freedom and human rights, why doesn't he show it. He is unintentionally making himself look like a man in denial to the rest of the world and I'm interested to see how he continues to handle the conflicts in the country. Specifically, how will he stop the ethnic war effectively, bringing tens of thousands of people back to his country.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-president-vows-democratic-reform-15822751#.T1J_doem-O5

Blog #6: China Urges Burma to Secure Border, Infrastructure Projects

(Sidenote): Before I start this particular blog, I wanted to explain something that I know has been a little confusing. While talking about the issues in Mayanmar/Burma, I and some other readers, seemed to be confused about the interchangeability of these country names. However, once I looked at a map, I saw why. Burma and Mayanmar are the same place. It is the same country. 

China is continuing to push for peace in Burma. The Chinese government is specifically concerned with the security of it's border with Burma because of the number of refugees crossing it for safety. The Burmese Lower House Speaker, Shwe Mann, was in China for a five-day visit and although his visit was to check on the infrastructure projects China is funding in the Burma, it was also to express the feelings of the Chinese government on the conflict in Northern Burma. 

Finding peace between the Kachin rebels, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and the Burmese is not only of interest to Burma, but China as well. If the peace in kept in the country then things will run smoother. China will not have to worry about refugees flooding it's boarders and instability due to the level of conflict in the country. In order to help stop conflict, China has hosted sessions, kind of like mediations, with the KIA and the Burmese government did not end with a brighter look for the future in Burma. Which essentially means that the KIA declared that they were not giving up on their fight for independence, even though President Thein Sein declared otherwise to the world. He pledged that he would end the ethnic conflict and bring peace to all the ethnic people along the boarders of Burma. None of what he pledged is happening. Even so, China has said it would provide some aid to those who are fleeing from Burma because of the ethnic conflict. In my opinion, it is obvious that if the conflict doesn't end soon, Burma's economy will suffer.

The conflict in Burma no longer seems to be solely about gaining independence. It seems to be about proving a point. The conflict is not helping the country and no one seems to be benefitting from the brutal fighting that is taking place in the North. They economy is suffering due to the threat of job loss and so are the people. With tens of thousands of citizens being displaced across Chinese boarders, Burma is losing a lot of it's man power. In turn, this mess could destroy it's economy. 

I'm wondering why the people in power are not as powerful as they think they are. It is obvious that the president has no control over what happens in his country. I would think with Burma being so close to Asia and having close ties with China, it would adapt to some of China's ways when it comes to being a collective society, but the Burmese and the Kachin are extremely independent. They are fueling this conflict on their own and the rules of war are no longer being followed. The biggest question is, who do you listen to when all above are ignored? 

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=23092

Blog #5: Dispatch: On the front line of Burma's guerilla war

It is interesting to me to read other articles that cover the ethnic war going on in Burma because I learn something new every time. No matter what article I read, each reporter ties the issues in Burma back to the same thing, resources.

According to The Telegraph the conflict in Burma started with a series of event that lead up to the death of a Kachin corporal back in June and then, as the Kachin Independence Army demanded to be heard in the political process, they were banned from voting. That is one of the main reasons that sparked the war. The Kachin Independence Army is fighting with the Burmese army not only for power in the political process, but also for independence from the country in order to be able to control their resources.

The Kachin people count up to over 1,000,000 and they make up one third of the Burmese population. Not only that, but the Kachin occupy most of the territory in Burma. The Kachin also claim to be the descendents of Mongolians, and sometimes, even from Genghis Khan. They have their own dialect and are predominantly Christian, which is not very common in East Asia. Their Christianity has influenced their propaganda. A common TV spot is the view of Jesus smiling down on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops.

As I reported in my last blog, the number of civilian causalities is still unknown, according to The Telegraph. There have been more than one hundred soldiers killed. President Thein Sein has ordered the troops, the Burmese Army, to stop their attacks on the KIA but the Burmese army has ignored his orders. Currently, the government has an unknown established level of control over the army, but the unwillingness to follow orders and the escalating conflict of this war is not making the country look good to the United States and Europe. They have declared that they will not lift the economic sanctions until the conflicts have ended. Even with the pressures from the US and Europe, the KIA say that they will not stop fighting until their  petition for independence has been addressed. On the government's side, the believe that if they give the Kachin their independece, that other ethnic groups will want their independence as well.

In a country that has so many resources, it is obvious why there is so much turmoil. The control of resources not only gives power within a country, but it also gives power in the world. The resources that the Kachin want to control within their state are resources that bigger super powers, like China, want. In the article that I pulled from The Telegraph, the reporter states that the Kachin Independence Army is losing, but they are not giving up the fight. The rebels (KIA) want the right to be a political power and the right to control the resources that lie within their state.

More disturbing is the fact that the article talks about the Burmese Army and their war crimes. It wasn't until I really started to study politics that I realized that war is a very structured process. In my mind, it was a bunch of angry men running blindly at each other, shooting at anything that had a pulse, but in actuality, war is a strategic process with many rules. One rule refers to civilians. It is not okay in any war to take out civilians in order to make a statement to the army. They are unnecessary deaths. However, the Burmese army have been reported as raping the women, killing women and children, and  causing chaos for sport. Over 50,000 villagers have been displaced because of their violence and if things continue, the numbers will only rise.

It is sad how much politics plays into conflicts like these. It is not the civilians fault that this conflict is happening, yet it seems that no country is willing to provide adequate help or intervention. China is trying to remain neutral by appeasing both sides. Although they are not trying to get rid of the Kachin from the camps that they established after fleeing Burma, the Chinese government are not allowing aid to get to them. That, I believe, is incredibly unfair. To save political face, the country is denying tens of thousands of people aid.

Lastly, one of the interesting things about the article to me was that The Telegraph referred to the ethnic conflict in Burma as, guerrilla warfare. It makes sense now that I have a deeper understanding of the conflict itself, but I think that its more of a civil war. A revolution that needs to be fought in order for anything to change. The Kachin want a voice and are willing to do whatever they have to do to make sure it is heard.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/9086517/Dispatch-On-the-front-line-of-Burmas-guerilla-war.html#.Tz52APfg_W8.email

Blog 4: Civil war threatens reforms in Myanmar

In my first blog, I talked about Mayanmar and the ethnic battle going on within the country. Today's blog is again, on Mayanmar and the more detailed account of the civil war going on in this troubled country. Mayanmar is also struggling to keep its good ties with the United Nations and the United States. This blog might be a little redundant from the first blog, but I think this one will give a little more insight into the issues of the country.

Myanmar was formally known as Burma. For a long time, there has been an ongoing civil war between Myanmar's army and Christian rebels, but the fight is at it's worst in the state of Kachin. The government in Myanmar is trying to stop the fighting in order to receive help from the United States and the United Nations. As a key condition for lifting the sanctions on Myanmar, the Obama administration and the European Union have made peace with rebel groups. The country has also achieved cease fire with some rebels while promoting political reform in order to slowly shed it's status.

Even though the massive civil war seemed to be dying down, the war in the state of Kachin as escalated since the breakdown of the seventeen year truce with the government in June. The fighting has countinued even though president Thein Sein has ordered the groups to stop. The Kachin Independence Army and the Mayanmar Army blame each other for provoking recent issues. President Thein Sein has also taken steps politically that have resulted in growing positive relations with the West. Some of his significant moves as president have been to release hundreds of political prisoners and signed the cease-fire agreements with ethnic rebels throughout the country.

 In response to all the things that have been happening in Myanmar, the Obama administion has been taking baby steps to fully restore political ties with the country. With the delicate nature of the states and the ethnic war, Obama is making sure his administration approaches the situation delicately. Earlier in the week, the administration lowered the sanctions on the country, allowing it to receive help from international financial institutions, such as the World Bank.

Even with the attempt at change in the country, there are still those that resist. Those in power, specifically old political officials and military generals, are resisting the reform because they feel as though it is not truly benefiting the country. The question is, does the country embrace reform or does it continue in its old ways. The reality is, nothing has really changed for the people on Myanmar.

It is interesting how the US decides to help countries. The country of Myanmar is going through very extraneous circumstances, but the US is not really providing any specific help. The only help being provided is to the escaping refugees. In our history, our country shuts off those countries that are of no use to us or are a nuance to us. However, that mentality doesn't benefit the country in need. Then again, the issue is that there are attempts at reform by the government in Myanmar, but many powerful officials are against it.

Why would they be against it? The US is notorious for imposing its ideals on other nations, sometimes almost wiping out their own base culture. The US believes that everyone should function under a democracy, but do not always acknowledge the fact that not every country cannot be changed over night. In a country like Myanmar, where the president has all the power, a democracy seems like a great thing to some people, but a scary change to others.

Most importantly, and all political issues aside, these reforms are doing nothing to effect the ethnic war raging in the country. While the government is so focused on reeling in US support, thousands of their citizens are being displaced. It seems as though the country is trying to do all the drastic "reforms" in order to reel the US in and cover up the war raging across state lines. However, it isn't working. The Obama administration is wary of getting involved with a country who's priorities are messed up and in my opinion, they are making the right move.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/10/civil-war-threatens-reforms-in-myanmar/?page=all#pagebreak

Blog 3: South Sudan's Next Humanitarian Crisis

Last post, I talked about the ethnic conflict going on in South Sudan between the Lau Nuer and the Murle tribes. As a recap, the ongoing conflict dates back before the Sudanese civil war and the independence of South Sudan. These years and years of conflict involves cattle theft, kidnapping, and revenge. The violence continues to escalate with the times. Especially because it is not the only conflict going on in the state.

The article talks about the two major conflicts happening in South Sudan. One is the ethnic battle between the Lau Nuer and Murle tribes and the other is the conflict between Blue Nile and South Kordofan. The conflict between the Blue Nile and South Kordofan people is a reaction to the seperation of Sudan into two states. Since the new boarder is unclear, there are disputes over land and the disputes lead back to the people of Blue Nile and the people of South Kordofan.

This conflict, between the Blue Nile people and the people of South Kordofan, occuring at the same time as the ethnic war between the Lau Nuer and Murle tribes is causing a lot of issues for civilians in Sudan. Many people, who are not involved in either conflict are being hurt in the crossfire of these issues and many others are being displaced. With all of these civilians being displaced from their respective homes, the United Nations Food Programme (UNWFO) will assist 80,000 people in South Sudan's Jonglei state. The good news for the UNWFO is that the displacement seems to be only in South Sudan, but there is concern that it will grow.

From a sociological point of view, the conflicts in South Sudan are great examples of outside influences that initiate conflict. In class, we've been talking a lot about power and government structures. We've also talked about hierarchies of class, power, and how these hierarchies are not only within our societies, but in the rating of countries. Imperialism is an action that we see happen that is initiated by a dominant world power, or a dominant country in general. Those Imperialists come into a country, divide it up and impose a new government on the people who live in it. Then, when the imperialized country is to the liking of the dominant countries government, the imperialists leave and conflict arises.

Although the reason for the separation of states in South Sudan is not specifically stated in the article, once there is a separation of space, especially when the lines are unclear, problems arise. How do these people even know who's land is specifically who's if it isn't clearly designated? Amount of land is related to the power of the people and so indirectly, the Blue Nile and the South Kordofon people are not fighting just over space, but power as well. The  Lau Nuer and Murle tribes are fighting over the same thing, power. When it comes to issues, like land ownership and ethnic division, the fight is not about who gets what, it's about how powerful what they achieve makes them.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/02/south-sudans-next-humanitarian-crisis/252411/#.Tyv8n2krjms.email

Blog 2: Witnesses give graphic accounts of South Sudan ethnic violence

In Johannesburg, South Africa there is an ethnic war going on in the Jonglei state that has been going on for centuries. Most people are unaware of this ethnic clash, I certainly wasn't, but the level of violence has escalated over the years. Fighting with spears is a thing of the past now that these tribes have gained access to guns, knives, and other automatic weapons. Of course, as the danger of the weapons increase, the level of violent attacks increase as well.

The attacks were carried out by the Murle people on the Luo-Nuer tribe. The Murle's motive for their attacks was revenge for previous attacks upon them by the Luo- Nuer tribe. In the article, there is some witness testimony about the level of violence and brutality of these attacks. Many women and children are killed or beaten severely and left for dead. According to the United Nations, fifty-five people dies in the January eleventh attack and dozens were wounded. The numbers for those who are missing are large, but not certain and in Jongwei alone there are at least 120,000 who need aid. Along with the missing, the number of dead is unknown as well. 

The reason for the attacks has to do with larceny that may seem petty to us, if we use a ethnoc

entric view, but if we are culturally relative then it would make sense. In these tribes, cattle is very important. The cattle your family owns is a symbol of power and determine your stance within the tribe in terms of family value. The larceny comes in where one tribe would attack the other and steal the cattle, leaving many people dead or wounded as well. 

The battle between the two tribes looks, at the surface, as though it is just a battle over cattle, but in actuality the cattle stand for more than that. The battle is over power and prestige that was stolen along with the cattle. The number of cattle you have is the only way the families really knew their worth and when they were taken, so was the wealth of the family. 

In a world where we are so focused on economic issues and politics, stories like these can get lost in translation behind those things that we deem more important. However, we need to pay more attention to issues like these because they are not just happening in Johannesburg or Africa, they are happening all over the world. Diversity is a great thing, but it can cause issues as well.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/01/doctors-without-borders-releases-graphic-stories-of-south-sudan-ethnic-violence.html

Blog 1: An Ethnic War Is Rekindled in Myanmar

In East Asia, bordering India and China, is the small Kachin State inside the country of Myanmar. It is split in half with one side controlled by the Kachin Independence Army and the other by the Burmese Army. The Kachin want to continue to be controlled by their own regime, but the Burmese want full control of the territory and will wipe out any Kachin in the way if necessary; or so it seems.

In the Kachin State, there are many valuable resources that are used specifically by the Chinese such as, jade, gold, and timber. Not to mention that it is also an area where China tests out a lot of their hydro powered facilities and with their ties to China, one would think that the Chinese are stepping in to help out the small, under developed state. China is not doing a whole lot to stop the war or get involved, but it has opening its borders, allowing thousands of villagers to seek refuge there. However, China is concerned about stability along the border and wants the problem to be settled.

In relation to the US, Myanmar has recently improved its ties with the US when their current President, Thein Sein released 651 political prisoners last week. The massive release, according to the US, was a massive "step towards democracy." Which of course the US loved because we love anyone who is willing to take the steps toward democracy... right?

Political standpoints aside, what is really important is the fact that the Kachin people are being forcibly chased from their homeland. Fleeing to China and living in poor conditions. The Burmese army is trying very hard to take over the land of the Kachin. They have burned and looted homes, planted mines, used force to recruit people, and tortured many of those recruited. Also, the Burmese Army has raped, tortured, and executed many civilians.

When is comes to issues of Ethnic Division, it is always interesting to figure out what is at the heart of the problem. In my opinion, the reason why it is so interesting is because the main reason behind the issue has nothing to do with the people, but to do with political power. The fight here seems to be for resources and relations with super power, China. In the article it states that, "some Chinese officials may welcome the Burmese military control, because they prefer to negotiate with them."

This fight for resources is not the only one. The US in fighting in the Middle East for the same reasons. The War on Terror is also the quest for oil. In Myanmar it is the fight for valuable resources that could bring the country a lot of money. The issue is that the Kachin people seem to be content being their own seperate state in Myanmar and the Burmese want control of their assets. Clearly, they are willing to go whatever lengths they can to achieve this control, but they are even willing to displace and/or wipe out a whole ethnic group to get what they want. It is a shame how the greed that comes with power can fog the mind to what is morally right and to the value of the human life.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/world/asia/ethnic-war-with-kachin-intensifies-in-myanmar-jeopardizing-united-states-ties.html