About The Kachin Alliance
The Kachin Alliance is a network of Kachin communities and churches across the US that aims to raise awareness about Kachin affairs in the U.S. The Kachin Alliance has elected officers, board of directors, and a network of volunteers from Kachin communities across the U.S. in order to help accomplish its aims. The Kachin Alliance is 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization.
Brief History
The Kachins have been living and studying in the U.S. since the 1960s. However, it was not until the 2000s that the Kachins immigrated from Burma to the U.S in large numbers and began to establish communities and communal organizations all over the U.S. It was to coordinate between these Kachin communities and organizations that vision for the Kachin Alliance was born. The Kachin Alliance was established in May of 2012. Then in August of 2014 the representatives from Kachin organizations in the U.S. met at the National Conference and discussed the role and the future of the Kachin Alliance in the Kachin communities in U.S. and in Burma as well as ways of coordination between the Kachin organizations. At the aforementioned conference the representatives also decided that there ought to be a coordination office for the Kachins in the nation’s capital. Therefore, on February 6, 2016, the Kachin Alliance office was established in Washington, D.C.
Mission & Objectives
The Kachin Alliance aims to eradicate human rights abuses suffered by the Kachins in Burma and to promote justice, equality and peace for the Kachin people. The Kachin Alliance attempts to realize its main through two objective. The first is to educate both the American public, the U.S. national leadership and the international organizations concerning the status of human rights condition of the Kachins in an effort to increase awareness, and obtain support and responsiveness to on-going crisis and emerging issues related the Kachin people. The second is to provide aid and coordinate relief efforts for Kachin refugees worldwide and displaced individuals in Burma.
Activities
- Organizes community events to present statistical data, photo/video exhibits, multimedia presentations, demonstrations and special speakers.
- Coordinates fundraising for Kachin relief efforts (internally displaced Kachins due to the resumed war).
- Liaise between leaders of major Kachin organizations in Burma and the U.S. government and the international organizations.
- Speaks at college campuses in an effort to raise awareness about the Kachin related affairs
- Organizes demonstrations and protests.
- Collect data in the Kachin communities across the U.S.
