Below is a map of the area where the fighting in Kachin State, Burma is taking place. Myitkyina is the capital of what is called the Kachin State of Burma. The Chinese want to build a dam on the Meka/Melika River that flows through Myitkyina so they can develop hydro-electric power to feed the power-starved Chinese economy located across the border. The Burmese central government wants to clear out opposition in the area (RED below) and the Kachin army opposes the building of the dam. The fighting has escalated and soldiers on both sides are dying every day. It is a fight about who will control the economic benefits of the proposed dam more that anything else.
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| Map showing area of fighting near the Kachin border with China |
The young Legacy graduate who came to visit us in Taungoo for Passover had to cross into China and come around the area of fighting in order to reach Myitkyina and then come by train to Taungoo. Taungoo is located further south in the center of the country between Kachinland and Yangon (Rangoon). Few COG members live in this RED area. So far, we have heard no negative news concerning their safety.
Such are the challenges of life for those who live every day with war in Burma.
Leon Sexton
View on Blogger: http://www.legacyinstituteorg.blogspot.com/2012/04/area-of-fighting-in-kachin-state-burma.html
