v**********m
发帖数: 5516 | 1 http://thediplomat.com/2015/05/can-china-untangle-the-kokang-kn
Kokang, a 2,000 square kilometer territory near the Chinese border, has a
population of around 150,000 people, 90 percent of whom are ethnic Chinese.
Although those in Kokang account for only 7 percent of the ethnic Chinese
population in Myanmar, they are unique among Chinese groups in the country,
as they were defined as an ethnic minority by British India. The Kokang area
is known for cross-border settlements of ethnic minorities, including
Kokang Chinese, Kachin, Shan, Wa and Ta’ang, among others. Expectations of
a high level of autonomy on the part of these ethnic groups date back to the
signing of the Panglong Agreement in February of 1947. After the July 1947
assassination of General Aung San, who signed the agreement on the behalf of
the Myanmar government, it was never actually implemented, thus becoming
the root cause of the armed conflicts we witness today.
Kokang was first ceded to British India by China in an agreement signed in
1897. After its independence in 1948, Kokang became an ethnic autonomous
area of Myanmar. The China-Myanmar Border Agreement of January 1960
clarified sovereignty over several contested areas, but Kokang was not
included in this agreement. Practically speaking, from 1897 until the
present, Kokang has been governed by ethnic Chinese.
Besides conflicts between the central government and local armed groups,
which is a problem throughout northern Myanmar, Kokang also has seen
conflict between different factions of ethnic Chinese groups. From 1989 to
2009, the primary factions were MNDAA leader Peng Jiasheng and his family
and the Yang family. The last round of this conflict resulted in the
withdrawal of Peng from the Kokang area for several years. After the “
August 8 incident” of 2009, Bai Suocheng replaced Peng Jiasheng as the
leader of the Kokang, and the Kokang started to enjoy stability and economic
development. Nonetheless, the Kokang people continue to suffer from
discrimination |
|
