Type of Incident

Physical assault

Date of Incident(s)

March 26th 2021

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

E--- village, R--- village tract[2], Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw (Hpapun) District

Victim Information

Name

Ko[3] O---

Ma[4] Y---

U[5] W---

Age

32

35

65

Sex

Male

Female

Male

Ethnicity

Bamar

Bamar

Bamar

Family   

Single

Married

Married

Occupation

Delivery driver

Shopkeeper

Shopkeeper

Religion

Buddhist

Buddhist

Buddhist

Position

Villager

Villager

Villager

Village

E---village, R--- village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District

E--- village, R--- village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District

E--- village, R--- village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

Kyaw Kyaw

Soldier

Border Guard Force (BGF)[6] #1013

K’Ter Tee village, K’Ter Tee village tract, Dwo Lo Township, Mu Traw District.

Lieutenant Colonel Saw[7] Kyaw Win

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

Ko A---, the R--- village tract administrator, who also lives in E--- village, learned about this incident because the BGF checkpoint is close by where he is living. The KHRG field researcher met with Ko A--- in E--- village to collect the information. Ko A--- told the KHRG researcher about the incident that occurred.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The source is a resident of E--- village, where the incident happened, and a village tract administrator. He also met with the victims and spoke to them about the incident [prior to being interviewed by the KHRG researcher].

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened. Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please use the space prepared below, and create an attachment if needed.

On the evening of March 26th 2021, Ko O---, a 32-year-old male living in E--- village, R--- village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District was assaulted by Kyaw Kyaw, a soldier from Border Guard Force (BGF) Battalion #1013 at the BGF checkpoint close to their family store located in E--- village. This BGF unit is led by Lieutenant Colonel Saw Kyaw Win.

The incident began when Ko O---’s car was stopped at the BGF checkpoint on his journey to Kamamaung Town to buy food ordered by other villagers living in E--- village. When he arrived at the checkpoint, the BGF soldier stopped him and ordered him to pay a road tax [toll] (the rate varies from day to day). However, the BGF soldier asked him to pay a higher rate than usual. The two of them then had arguments between themselves over the tax rate. During the argument, the BGF soldier, Kyaw Kyaw, punched Ko O--- in the face, which became swollen.

Hearing that Ko O--- was punched by the BGF solider, his father U W---, and sister Ma Y---, who own and operate a grocery store near the BGF checkpoint, went to help him. They arrived at the checkpoint while Ko O--- was still there. Kyaw Kyaw, the same BGF soldier, then punched U W--- and Ma Y--- in the face, resulting in both of them suffering swollen faces. Ko O--- then paid the tax and continued his journey to Kamamaung Town without further obstruction and U W--- and Ma Y--- returned to work at the family grocery store.

Although the village head knew about the incident, he did not dare involve himself to resolve the case that involved the three family members due to fear of repercussions by the BGF. The three villagers recovered from their injuries and the case remains unresolved by the local authorities.

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.

The source and the victims gave permission for the provided information to be used.