KIA Appoints Vice Chief of Staff
The Kachin Post / May 26, 2009

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has appointed Col. Sumlut Gun Maw as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, amid mounting pressure from Burma Army to transform ethnic arms groups to Border Guard Forces under Burma Army, according to source closed to KIA.

Col. Gun Maw, 47, was the former vice general secretary and the director of Strategic Study department of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), a political wing of KIA. Col. Gun Maw is a member of central committee member of KIO and the one of the key player within the central committee.

The former KIA Vice Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Hpunggan Zau Nan was passed away on April 06, 2009 by liver cancer. A month after, Col. Sumlut Gun Maw became Vice Chief of Staff of KIA and hand over his director position of strategic study department to Lt-Col. Maran Zau Tawng.

Political analysts closed to KIA speculate that the appointment of the Vice Chief of Staff of KIA is the initial stage of reshuffle amongst the organization, saying there will be reshuffle for key positions.

The Kachin Independence Army is led by Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Gunhtang Gam Shawng along with Vice Chief of Staff Col. Sumlut Gun Maw.

The Kachin Independence Organization, (KIO), one of the largest ethnic cease-fire army in Burma, recently discussed with Burma Army to solve the issue of reforming KIA into a Border Guard Force through Peace Mediator Group. Meanwhile, KIA is preparing for the unavoidable war against Burma Army.