Type of Incident

The SAC fatally shot a villager

Date of Incident(s)

September 16th 2023

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

Yunsalin river, close to H--- village, Meh Klaw village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District

Victim Information

Name

E---

Age

50

Sex

Male

Marital Status   

Married

Occupation

Day labourer

Religion

Muslim

Position

Villager

Village

H--- village, Meh Klaw village tract[2], Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District

Perpetrator Information

Name(s)           

Rank

Company/Battalion/Division

Based at

Commander’s Name

Unknown

Unknown

Hpapun

Toh Meh Hkee place, in Hpapun Town

Unknown

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

KHRG’s researcher conducted an interview with a villager from O--- village, Meh Klaw village tract, Bu Tho Township, on September 26th 2023, and the villager explained about the incident.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

KHRG’s researcher investigated and collected information after the incident from a local villager, and had informal conversations with the victim’s wife.

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

Since the 2021 military coup, the State Administration Council (SAC)[3] has imposed a curfew in Hpapun Town [and surrounding areas] from 6 pm to 6 am, prohibiting people from going out during these hours. As a result, no one is out on the road during that time. Villagers have reported that the curfew has made it difficult for them to carry out their daily activities. Amidst the unstable political situation, villagers in H--- village [located near Hpapun Town], Meh Klaw village tract, Bu Tho Township, are struggling to secure their livelihoods.

On September 16th 2023, at around 6 am, E---, a 50-year-old resident of H--- village, was shot by SAC soldiers based at Toh Meh Hkee place, in Hpapun Town, while he was returning from fishing. E--- lives close to the N--- monastery. Due to the difficulty of securing a livelihood during this time of hardship, he went fishing [on his boat in the Yunsalin river] both in the morning and evening [he would set his fishing net in the water in the evening and retrieve it in the morning].

On that morning, E--- went fishing on his boat to retrieve the fish he had caught in the nets he had laid out the previous evening. As he was on his boat on his way back [to the riverbank], SAC soldiers based at Toh Meh Hkee place, in Hpapun Town, shot him in the chest. Despite being hit, E--- managed to steer his boat almost back to the riverbank before collapsing. His wife and other villagers saw him fall off the boat and rushed to help, but he had already passed away beside his boat.

E--- has three children, and fishing is one of his jobs to secure his family’s livelihood during this difficult situation. Although he knew that the SAC had imposed a curfew, he [probably] thought it was almost 7 am [based on the morning light] and went fishing. After E---’s death, the SAC denied responsibility for the incident and claimed that a Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[4] soldier had shot him. However, villagers living in Hpapun area heard gunshots coming only from Toh Meh Hkee place, where SAC soldiers are based. Local villagers believe that the SAC soldiers killed E---, but they dare not talk about it in front of the SAC as they have been threatened with [retaliatory] action [like arrests, shelling, arson, and so on] if they do.

Since the military coup in 2021, the SAC has been [allegedly] guarding security in Hpapun Town. They have also imposed a curfew from 6 pm to 6 am, during which people are not allowed to turn on lights or make noise.

A villager from O--- village, Meh Klaw village tract, Bu Tho Township, highlights: “The villagers’ living [conditions] are so difficult. They are crying out for not having a meal [rice] to eat due to the travel restrictions [which limit their income generating activities].” He also talked about how businessmen take advantage of selling [town-bought] rice back in the village. He added: “I heard that it is 260,000 kyat [124 USD][5] for a bag of rice in Hpapun Town. Some villagers who do not have money cannot afford to pay for the rice. These businessmen do not sell the rice by the bowl only a full bag. Only SAC soldiers can pay 260,000 kyat for a bag of rice.”

When asked about his hopes for the future regarding the current situation in his area, the villager stated: “We hope that the political situation [in Burma] gets better in the future. If not, the situation in Hpapun will worsen, and villagers will be displaced and starve. There will be robbers among them [the SAC will steal from villagers]. SAC soldiers from LIB[6] #408 and others based in Hpapun Town break into the villagers’ houses, and loot their possessions while they are away. People dare not tell them [address the soldiers] even though they witness the situation. I believe there must be a change in the future. If not, things will get worse. Our generation will not taste joy [if there is no change].”

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

The source allows KHRG to use the information.