Kachin ethnic groups demand correct ethnic names from Kachin Chief Minister

It has been reported that the Kachin State Chief Minister U Hket Htin Nan and his delegation met with Lauwa and Lisu ethnic groups in Waingmaw and Myitkyina townships and were requested to establish correct ethnic names. During a meeting of the Lauwa ethnic group held at the Lauwa Zong Khaung Memorial Pagoda in Waingmaw Township on September 10, U La Maung Jone Dai, Chairman of the Lauwa Literature and Culture Committee, presented the request to the Kachin State Chief Minister. He stated that the Lauwa ethnic group is being referred to by other names such as "Lau Gyi" and "Maru," and that a request has been made to national leaders to abolish these terms. In response, the State Chief Minister stated that he would assist in submitting a request to higher authorities to ensure that only the name "Lauwa" is used and recognized in accordance with laws and regulations. He expressed confidence that the nation would approve and designate the names in line with the rights of ethnic groups, allowing them to be called by their true names. U Bi Hto Zong, patron of the Lauwa Literature and Culture Committee, pointed out the diversity of ethnic names on identification cards and stated that it is inappropriate for the Lauwa ethnic group to be called by various names in other places. He noted that the Lauwa ethnic group has worked collectively on this issue and welcomed the efforts to use the correct ethnic names. The Lisu ethnic group also held a meeting of their ethnic groups on September 11 at the hall within the Lisu Traditional Cultural Ground in Shwe Aye Ward, Myitkyina Township, to establish the correct name "Lisu." Kachin State Chief Minister U Hket Htin Nan attended the event and stated that it is necessary to propose and implement measures to establish the correct ethnic names and to approve and designate them in accordance with laws and regulations without affecting ethnic solidarity and unity. He added that the State government would provide assistance. In Kachin State, the Lisu ethnic group is still referred to as "Lisu" by other ethnic communities, and some elderly residents of Myitkyina also call them by other names such as "Yorin" and "Yorin." The Ethnic Affairs Committee of the Kachin State Parliament reported at the 20th regular session of the 2nd Kachin State Parliament that there should be only six Kachin ethnic groups. The Ethnic Affairs Committee met with the literature and culture committees of the six Kachin ethnic groups and submitted a report. U Hsan Du Naw Aung, Chairman of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of the Kachin State Parliament, presented that according to the special order issued by the Election Division of the Union of Myanmar Ministry of Justice in 1955, the Jinpho, Azi, Laashi, Maru, Yorin (Liso), and Nung (Kha Nung-Rawang) are included as Kachin people, and the announcement made by the President of the Union in accordance with Article 2, Paragraph (c) of the 1948 Parliamentary Election Law should be approved. He stated, "When we say Kachin refers only to Jinpho, other ethnic groups will feel sad, thinking they are stateless people. I have not found this in any law. We have conducted field surveys of the six groups and obtained confirmation that they are six Kachin groups. Jinpho has not said they agree or disagree. It was decided that it is appropriate to continue to apply the fact that there are six Kachin groups according to the 1955 special order." A motion was submitted to the 6th regular session of the 2nd Kachin State Parliament in 2017, urging the State government and the Union government to scrutinize and approve the accurate list of ethnic group names of the members of the Kachin ethnic groups. It was presented to the parliament that this motion was submitted because, although only six groups are recognized among the Kachin ethnic groups, the government lists include six, eight, and up to twelve groups. Issues such as the lack of accurate designation of names of ethnic groups belonging to the Kachin ethnic groups, the confusion of ethnic group names and ethnic names on national identification cards, the mixing of ethnic and ethnic group names in national publications, and the existence of name variations among the five groups of Shan ethnic people residing in Kachin State are still being debated. According to the 2014 census in Kachin State, the population is 1,889,441, with 467,200 Bamar (29.2%), 377,600 Shan (23.8%), 303,520 Jinpho (18.97%), 112,000 Lisu (7%), 88,000 Rawang (5.5%), 53,280 Lauwa (3.5%), 45,200 Lachiid (2.83%), 25,120 Zaiwa (1.57%), and 128,000 other ethnic groups (8%), according to the 3rd NCA Conference.