Kachin Independence Organisation

The Kachin Independence Organisation (abbreviated KIO; Burmese: ကချင်လွတ်လပ်ရေးအဖွဲ့ချုပ်; Kachin: Wunpawng Gumrawng Gumtsa Mungdan, lit. "Sovereign Kachin nation state") is a Kachin political organisation in Myanmar (Burma). Founded in 1961, KIO seeks autonomy for Kachin State and operates a de facto parallel government, including its own education and health systems. Its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), is one of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed groups, operating in Kachin and Shan States. The KIO funds its operations through local taxation, control of natural resource extraction—including jade, gold, timber, and rare earths—and cross-border trade with China. It has faced criticism for lack of financial transparency, environmental degradation linked to mining, and the coercive nature of its tax practices. The KIO plays a significant role in Myanmar's ongoing civil conflict. KIO is dominated by members of the Jinghpaw ethnic group, which is the largest subgroup within the broader multi-ethnic Kachin identity.