Fighting between the government and the Kachin rebels, in northern Myanmar, intensified, despite the widely proclaimed reforms.
Over the past month, Burma's military his reported to have launched mortar rounds targeting the mountainous region in northern Myanmar, near its border with China.
Over the past few months, international human rights groups have expressed growing concern at the Burmese army's atrocities against the Kachin people, citing the looting and burning of homes, as well as the rape, torture and execution of Kachin civilians. As a result, over a thousand villagers have sought refuge in China, whilst tens of thousands more are believed to be at risk of displacement if the Burmese army's actions continue.
The increased conflict has taken place despite Myanmar's President Thein Sein, calling on the military to cease the fighting.
On the border with China, the Kachin region is partly controlled by the Kachin Independence Army.
After a 17-year ceasefire, fighting between the Burmese army and the Kachen fighters, threatened to resume after the Burmese government demanded that all ethnic rebels disarm and join the Border Guard Force, and Kachin political figures were not allowed to take part in the parliamentary elections of November 2010. The conflict fully resumed June of last year, after the Burmese military attacked a Kachen post at Bum Sen, near Chinese hydropower project.
The Burmese government's conflict with the Kachin Independence Army, is but one of the myriad of ethnic civil conflicts within Myanmar.
After Myanmar renewed its diplomatic ties with the US and UK over recent weeks, the Burmese government signed a ceasefire with the ethnic Karen rebels, who have also fought against repression by the Burmese military, which is overwhelmingly formed by the majority ethnic group, the Burman.
The government states it is attempting to negotiate similar peace agreements with the other ethnic rebel groups such as the Chin, the Mon and the Kayah.
