Kachin State has experienced battles and conflicts since June 2011 which had forced KIA members to abandon their families to march to the battlefield. Under the gunpoint order of KIA leaders, KIA members had no choice but were much worried for their families. KIA members have suffered a great loss and causalities in engagement with the military columns with their heath deteriorating because of terrible weather and poor conditions. In addition, they had no chance to run farm for livelihood of their families. The situation was worse as many were also injured or killed themselves in mine attacks. Many regretted fighting meaningless wars, killing innocent civilians, damaging communication links, and roads and bridges. So many a number of KIA members have left and are leaving the KIA. Nationalities of Kachin State are anticipating the eternal peace hoping KIO/KIA to realize their wrong acts and get back to right path like other ethic armed groups.

In this situation, 35 KIA members from Brigade-5 led by Corporal Kyaw Hsan bringing along with 23 assorted arms at Talawgyi Station in Myitkyina Township exchanged arms for peace on 16 April, who said the meaningless wars were more than enough. They shot dead their close supervisor who forced them into wars in their efforts to mend. The Armed Forces and the local people extended a warm welcome to them and are arranging for their rehabilitation and security of their families.

Kachin State government, in its endeavours for eternal peace aspired by people of Kachin State, has formed state peacemaking group which held peace negotiation with KIO/KIA for three times between June and August 2011. As the government also is trying to build lasting peace for stability and national reconsolidation, its Union level peacemaking group has also held peace talks with KIO/KIA for three times—on 29 November, 2011, on 18,19 January, 2012 and on 8,9,10 March, 2012—at Shweli as demanded by them. Nevertheless, the eternal peace, the dream of nationalities from Kachin State is still far away from coming true due to some bigoted KIO/KIA leaders.

The news of the success of peace talks between other armed ethnic groups and region/state level peacemaking groups from the government side also came into the ears of national brethren in Kachin State and many KIO/KIA members whose trust on their leaders was thus declining resulting in factional disputes. Kachin people are much overjoyed to see KIA members returning to legal fold en masse. The news of warm welcome to KIA members by local people and the military has also impressed the two KIA members to exchange arms for peace at Myitkyina military camp and five at Talawgyi military camp on the first day of Myanmar New Year 17 April.

A total of 42 KIA members have exchanged arms for peace so far and news sources said that there are still many left wishing to exchange arms for peace.