This Incident Report describes events occurring in Moo (Mone) Township, Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin) District, in May 2024. On the morning of May 29th, a 14-year-old girl from H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract, stepped on a landmine planted by troops from State Administration Council (SAC) (including Light Infantry Battalions (LIBs) #439 and #307 and Light Infantry Division (LID) #77), inside her village. Her right leg was blown off by the landmine explosion, and her left leg was injured. Her family sent her to a hospital under the Karen National Union (KNU) administration in Hplee Hta village tract, with the help of KNLA soldiers, to receive treatment for both her legs. Due to this incident, the villagers were afraid and have to live in fear.[1]

 

 

Part 1 – Incident Details

Type of Incident

Landmine explosion causing injury [to a 14-year-old girl]

Date of Incident(s)

May 29th 2024

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract[2], Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District

Victim Information

Name

Ma[3] E---

Age

14 years old

Gender

Woman

Ethnicity

Bamar[4]

Marital Status  

-

Occupation

Student

Religion

Buddhist

Position

Villager

Village

H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

Unknown

Unknown

Combined troops from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[5] #439, LIB #307 and [unknown battalion(s) under] Light Infantry Division (LID)[6] #77

Ka Nyut Kwin army camp [LIB #439]; Shway Wa army camp [LIB #307]; Nat Than Kwin Town [unknown battalion(s) under LID #77]

Unknown

 

Part 2 -  Information Quality

1. Explain in detail how this information was collected.

A local leader of the Karen Department of Healthcare and Welfare (KDHW)[7] in Moo Township, named P’Doh[8] Saw B---, informed the KHRG researcher about the incident. On May 30th 2024, [the KHRG researcher] went to meet the victim [at a Karen National Union (KNU)[9]-administered hospital in Hplee Hta village tract, Moo Township], to take photos [of the victim’s injuries] and conduct an interview with the victim’s uncle, named U[10] C---.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The person [U C---] who provided this information is a family member of the victim and was present in the village during the incident. He also sent the victim to the hospital.

 

Part 3 – Complete Description of the Incident

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

 

During February 2024, combined troops from the State Administration Council (SAC)[11] Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #439, based in Ka Nyut Kwin army camp; LIB #307, based in Shway Wa army camp; and unknown battalion(s) under Light Infantry Division (LID) #77 from Nat Than Kwin Town, entered some areas and villages in Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District. Then, they burned down houses, fired mortar rounds, and planted landmines [in those Moo Township areas], thus making many villagers afraid and [forcing them to] flee. When the villagers returned to their houses after the SAC retreated, many cases of villagers being injured by landmines occurred, as the SAC had planted landmines in the villages [and surrounding areas].

 

On May 29th 2024, at 8:30 am, a 14-year-old villager named Ma E--- and her mother, [both residents of] H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract, Moo Township, were going to a place nearby the school [to dispose of] a tree branch [after cleaning their house]. [On the way], Ma E--- stepped on a M14 mine, which had been planted by the SAC. She sustained serious injuries on both of her legs, losing her right leg [due to the explosion]. At that time, there were Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[12] soldiers in the village and, therefore, with their help and accompaniment, Ma E--- was taken to a KNU-administered hospital [in Hplee Hta village tract, Moo Township] by her parents and her uncle, named U C---.  Her right leg had to be operated on, but her left leg did not need to be amputated even though she also sustained injuries to it.

 

Regarding the treatment at the hospital, Ma E---’s uncle, U C---, explained: “Now, I don’t know about the treatment cost yet. The medics at the clinic understand us [our financial difficulties] and mostly they will help civilians [treat them for free]. […] They [the victim’s parents] face difficulties, as their family[’s financial] condition is not that stable. I told them [the victim’s parents] not to feel down and told them that the doctors will understand us.” U C--- further explained: “Her [the victim’s] parents are daily wage labourers. […] Now, we can’t work. We can’t travel either, as there is shelling happening, and we also have to be afraid of the landmines underground. It is very difficult to [secure] a livelihood. It is quite difficult for the villagers in the village. For farmers, it is better but for daily wage labourers, they don’t know what to do in this situation”. [It is unknown whether their family received any support for medical costs or livelihood costs from any organisations after the treatment].

 

As the SAC soldiers had planted several landmines [while they were patrolling in H--- village area in February 2024], the villagers have to travel and work in fear, because they do not know where the landmines have been planted. Due to Ma E---’s incident, the villagers feel like there is no safety when they are travelling, and they have to live in fear.

 

Part 4 - Permission for Using the Details

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

The victim allowed KHRG to use and publish this information to let other people know about this incident. 

 

 

 

 

                    

Further background reading on the situation on landmines and UXOs in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports:

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Footnotes: 

[1] The present document is based on information received in May. It was provided by a community member in Kler Lwee Htoo District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions on the ground. The names of the victims, their photos and the exact locations are censored for security reasons. The parts in square brackets are explanations added by KHRG.

[2] A village tract is an administrative unit of between five and 20 villages in a local area, often centred on a large village.

[3] ‘Ma’ is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.

[4] The majority ethnic group in Myanmar, also known as ethnic Burmese or Burman.

[5] A Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) comprises 500 soldiers. However, most Light Infantry Battalions are under-strength with less than 200 soldiers, Up- to- date information regarding the size of battalions is hard to come by, particularly following the signing of the NCA. LIBs are primarily used for offensive operations, but they are sometimes used for garrison duties.

[6] A Light Infantry Division (LID) is commanded by a brigadier general, and consists of ten light infantry battalions specially trained in counter-insurgency, jungle warfare, search and destroy operations against ethnic insurgents. They were first incorporated into the Tatmadaw in 1966. LIDs are organised under three Tactical Operations Commands, commanded by a colonel, three battalions each and one reserve, one field artillery battalion, one armoured squadron and other support units. Each division is directly under the command of the Chief of Staff (Army).

[7] The Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW) is the health department of the Karen National Union. It was established in 1956 to address the lack of public healthcare resources in rural Southeast Myanmar. It currently operates a network of community-based clinics in the region, but its capabilities remain limited due to funding constraints.

[8] P’doh is a title meaning ‘governor’ or ‘minister’ within the government or military.

[9] The Karen National Union (KNU) is the main Karen political organisation. It was established in 1947 and has been in conflict with the government since 1949. The KNU wields power across large areas of Southeast Myanmar and has been calling for the creation of a democratic federal system since 1976. Although it signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in 2015, relations with the government remain tense.

[10] ‘U’ is a Burmese title used for elder men, used before their name.

[11] The State Administration Council (SAC) is the executive governing body created in the aftermath of the February 1st 2021 military coup. It was established by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on February 2nd 2021, and is composed of eight military officers and eight civilians. The chairperson serves as the de facto head of government of Burma/Myanmar and leads the Military Cabinet of Myanmar, the executive branch of the government. Min Aung Hlaing assumed the role of SAC chairperson following the coup.

[12] The Karen National Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Karen National Union.

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