FBR REPORT: Three villagers killed and 500 new IDPs forced to flee homes as Burma Army

launches attacks in Northern Karen State

Karen State, Burma
9 July, 2009

KEY DEVELOPMENTS
• New Burma Army attacks in Mone Township, Nyaunglebin District, northern Karen
State, have forced over 500 villagers to hide in the jungle and has left three men dead.
• Landmine Kills Young Villager in Toungoo District

Children fleeing the most recent attacks in Mone Township. July, 2009

New Burma Army attacks in Mone Township, Nyaunglebin

District, northern Karen State, have forced over 500 villagers
to hide in the jungle and has left three men dead.
On July 7 the FBR team in the area reported that the 500 villagers who were now in hiding had not
been able to carry enough food and were facing shortages. They also said that heavy rain meant
children were facing health problems and becoming sick. The team is giving medical treatment to
the IDPs as well as giving them what clothing and shelter they can. The continuing attacks mean
the IDPs must remain hiding in difficult conditions. Villagers remain constantly prepared to flee,
and will continue hiding until Burma Army troops return to their camps and local resistance
soldiers are able to clear landmines.
The build up to the attacks began in early June when the Burma Army began forcing villagers in
the area to provide recruits or pay fines of up to 300,000 kyats (about US$250).
By mid June Light Infantry Battalions (LIBs) 351 and 599 (a total of about 150 soldiers) increased
patrols on the road linking Kyauk Kyi and Mone and began the rebuilding of the road. The Burma
Army shot dead Saw Maung Nyut, 48, from Paw Pi Dor village, north west Karen State on June 9
at 9am.
 Map showing area of report. July, 2009
On that day, Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 590 (an LIB is about 130 soldiers) went into
Paw Pi Dor village with Saw Pa Lo from Paw Pi Dor and Maung Maung from Aung Chan Tha
village who had been captured on March 5. The Burma Army told villagers not to leave the village
and shot Saw Maung Nyut when they saw him as they were leaving the village on patrol. Paw Pi
Dor is in Mone Township, Nyaunglebin District.
 Villager gathers belongings and prepares to flee Burma army attacks in Mone Township.
July, 2009.
The following day the Burma Army Infantry Battalion 53 led by Min Thu went into the village
again and told them they were not allowed to leave the village to work on their fields. On June 12
the Burma Army expanded their camp at the village and forced villagers from Paw Pi Dor and
Aung Chan Tha to build it. On June 12 the Burma Army forced Htee To Lo villagers to expand
their camp in their village. LIB 590 has also begun work on new camps at Htee Lu Lor and Kwee
Pay as a base for operations in Mone Township.
On June 30, troops from LIB 590 captured Myaung Oo villagers Tin Aye and Maung Aye and
forced them to guide them in their attacks on the villagers. On July 1 LIBs 351 and 599 (about 100
men in total) ordered villager Saw Par Lo to follow them to Min Tai and on July 2 they killed him
at Min Tai and returned to Paw Pi Dor village. A villager named Maung Maung was killed on June
14 by soldiers from LIB 590 at Kwey Thay Myaung.
On July 3 the Burma Army sent two more battalions (more than 100 men) to Kyauk Kyi to do
further operations in Mone Township. On July 3 LIB 590 captured Myaung Oo villager Than Oo
and Aung Chan Tha villager Pyu Kyai and forced them to guide them in their attacks.
On July 4 the Burma Army along with the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA - a proxy
force that fights alongside the Burma Army) went to Htee Law Plo and Kaw Soe, meaning villagers
from Ti Ko, Saw Kar Dor, Klaw Ki and Hti Lu Baw Hta and Nya Mu Ke, Ka Pa Hta, Na Hti Ko,
Tanata and Nwa Lay Ko respectively could not leave to tend their farms. The following day
villagers from Myaung Oo, Aung Chan Tha, Paw Pi Dor, Htee To Lo, Si Bin Tha, Mee Tai Taw and
Mae Sa Li Kon were only allowed to work from 6am to 6pm and told if they were seen in their
fields outside those times they would kill them.
 Families hide together in a nearby village after fleeing attacks. July, 2009.
These attacks come after a period of relative quiet in northern Karen State. The large scale attacks
which were seen during 2006-2008 slowed at the end of 2008. FBR previously reported on the
combined Burma Army/DKBA attacks in Pa'an District which began in early June, including on
Ler Per Her IDP camp.

Villagers fleeing through the jungle as Burma Army troops attack their village.
 Woman hides in a nearby village after fleeing attacks.

Sick child, forced into hiding by attacking Burma Army troops.

Landmine Kills Young Villager in Toungoo District

A land by the Burma Army killed Saw Ghay Meain, 20, in the Saw Wa Der area, Toungoo District,
northern Karen State. mine laid Military Operation Command 5 (an MOC is made up of ten
battalions) sent out Light Infantry Battalions 372 and 373 to attack this area and they laid
landmines, one of which later killed Saw Ghay Meain. The Burma Army often attacks villages in
this area, forcing people into hiding, then laying landmines so it is dangerous to return to their
houses or gather possessions.
The MOC is quartered at Play Hsar Lo. On June 6 they went to Tha Phay Nuint village and made
15 villagers do forced labor. They also stole their possessions and took them back to the camp.
Another Burma Army unit from Shan Zee Bo camp forced ten people from Shan Zee Bo village,
six from Yain Sha village, six from Taw Gu village and eight from Zee Phu Goo village to do
forced labor. The Burma Army regularly steals possessions and makes villagers do forced labor in
many areas under their control.
The MOC 5 commander, Kaung Mya, was killed in an explosion and has been replaced by Khin
Maung Sin.

The Free Burma Ranger’s (FBR) mission is to provide hope, help and love to internally displaced
people inside Burma, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams,
FBR reports on human rights abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under
the oppression of the Burma Army. FBR provides medical, spiritual and educational resources for IDP
communities as they struggle to survive Burmese military attacks.
For more information, please visit www.freeburmarangers.org

Sourced: Free Burma Rangers

http://www.freeburmarangers.org/Reports/2009/20090709.html