By Tania Branigan.

"There's so much focus on political reforms from the international perspective, but human rights abuses that are continuing are being ignored. It doesn't fit into the narrative," said Lynn Yoshikawa of Refugees International, who visited the region this month.

The government announced a ceasefire last week, but sources in Kachin areas said clashes continued. Among the allegations made by Kachin civilians interviewed by the Guardian along the Chinese-Burma border were:

• Burmese troops attacked villages without warning, injuring and killing civilians.
• Numerous civilians vanished in areas occupied by the military.
• Soldiers pillaged homes and forced villagers to carry away their plunder.
• Troops subjected men to brutal interrogations.
• Chemical agents were used around one village, possibly to push people out of the area.

Groups including Human Rights Watch, Physicians for Human Rights and Partners Relief and Development have also gathered numerous accounts of abuses. Organisations say that while the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has also committed violations, government soldiers are responsible for the vast majority.

"Abuses have been extreme and have been a rallying point for people to back the Kachin Independence Organisation [political wing of the KIA], now more than ever. Support for the KIO is really at a peak," said Yoshikawa.

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