My dear esteemed brothers and sisters, national brethren residing in the Kachin State,
On this very blessed, significant and auspicious 69th Anniversary of Kachin State Day which falls on 10th January, I send my greetings and good wishes for the auspiciousness of my ethnic brothers and sisters, and all Union citizens residing in the Kachin State.
On 10th January 1948, after gaining Independence, the first meeting of the Kachin State Council was held and to honour the establishment of the Kachin State Government, 10th January was designated as Kachin State Day. From that day onwards we have been celebrating annually and today marks the 69 Anniversary.
The Kachin State comprises 4 districts, 18 townships, and 30 towns and it is also a State which is inhabited by such Kachin racial groups as the Jingphaw, Rawang, Lisu, Lachid, Lhaovo, and Zaiwa; Shan racial groups such Tailai, Tailay, Tailon, Taisar, Tai Khamti; Burmans and other ethnic racial groups totaling a population of a little more than 16,00,000 who are living together in friendship and cordiality.
Kachin State is rich with precious gems and minerals such as gold and jade and is the home of the one and only snow-capped mountain ranges in the whole of South-East Asia. It also has very beautiful scenery. Furthermore, it is also the region where the river Ayeyarwaddy, which may be called the life-blood of Myanmar has its source.
Such a beautiful and peaceful Kachin State which is rich in mineral and natural resources, has been unable to enjoy its natural beauty and has not been able to use its natural resources effectively for development purposes.
In the implementation of development projects, without peace, stability and rule of law in the respective areas, these projects cannot be completed successfully. In working for the development of Kachin State as a whole, all the respective areas, and sectors will develop in a balanced way only if there is peace and stability in the respective areas. All the ethnic national races living in Kachin State have known the taste of peace and they are also yearning for peace. Gaining peace is also the biggest desire of the entire people.
Now is the time for all the ethnic national brothers and sisters to work hard with sincerity for the cessation of all kinds of armed conflicts which have arisen due to many causes, for genuine and long lasting peace. At a time like this, we will be able to wrest ourselves out of this “conflict quagmire” and attain genuine and lasting peace only if all our ethnic national brothers and sisters work hard with sincerity and correct “cetana”.
Our Union Government has initiated the first meeting of the Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong, from 31 August 2016 to 3 September in Nay Pyi Taw with the aim of bringing peace for the whole Union and all-round development and progress. The ultimate goal of this conference is to work towards the establishment of a Democratic Federal Union by first securing internal peace, by resolving political problems through political means and also to find solutions for fundamental rights and equality for ethnic national races.
The “National Reconciliation and Peace Centre” has been established and operations have begun for peace to prevail in the whole country including the Kachin State. It is necessary for all ethnic national races and Union citizens to all join hands and work hard collectively together with the Union Government for the peace process to be successful.
In conclusion, on this day and at this time, for the national reconciliation and peace process, which Union Government is implementing to succeed as soon as possible, I wish to urge all ethnic national brothers and sisters to work collectively in unity and harmony with firm Union spirit and genuine patriotic spirit.
On this blessed and auspicious Kachin State Day, I am sending this Message of Greetings as I wish all nationals of the Kachin State peace, prosperity and happiness.
Sd/ Htin Kyaw
President