KIO Statement of its 15th CC meeting

Announcement of the

The 15^th full meeting of the Central Committee, Kachin Independence Organization

1. The 15^th full meeting of the KIO Central Committee was held between October 15^th

- 20th, 2007, at Laiza.

2. The National Convention, a consultative meeting of the Union of Myanmar, was concluded on September 3, this year and on October 19 recently, we learned that a commission to draft a constitution has now been appointed. As the process of constitution crafting begins one of the most important goals for us will be the proper recognition and inclusion of the rights of ethnic national communities.

3. The United Nations has strongly urged an inclusive process, a dialogue-based approach toward the constitution crafting process, and we welcome and fully support this view.

4. We also welcome the recent advice of the government of the People's Republic of China to the effect that it wishes to see peaceful relations between the peoples of Myanmar, and that it hopes that different national communities will be able enjoy the rights they are entitled to.

5. The KIO wants the Union of Myanmar to be founded on the principle of a genuine federal system where the national communities of all constituents of the Union do enjoy the full rights of political self-determination. To attain this shall continue to be the primary goal of the KIO.

6. Consistent with our vision for a Union that is genuine, just and fair, and in accordance with our own determination to be a part of the construction of that Union, we wish to state that we are prepared to consider changing the name of Kachin Indpendence Organization. But this will be done only with full consultation and consent of the Kachin people, and a formal decision to confirm it by the Kachin Consultative Assembly. However, we will not begin this process unilaterally.

The Central Committee

Kachin Independence Organization

Unauthorized translation by KAF from Jinghpaw original. Dated October 21, 2007