This incident report describes the events that occurred in Lu Thaw Township, Mu Traw District, in January 2024. On January 24th 2024, a villager from Ab--- village, Ler Muh Plaw village tract, Lu Thaw Township, stepped on a landmine planted by the State Administration Council (SAC) in Aa--- Place in Ler Muh Plaw village tract, and was severely injured. Following the incident, he was taken to Ac--- clinic, administered by the Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW), in Naw Yoh Hta village tract, where his leg was amputated. The victim is a farmer who made a living from hill farming, so he was unable to farm after his leg was amputated and had to rely on the support of family members.[1]

 

 

Part 1 – Incident Details

Type of Incident

Landmine incident

Date of Incident(s)

January 24th 2024

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

Aa--- Place, [near Ab--- village,] Ler Muh Plaw village tract[2], Lu Thaw Township, Mu Traw District. 

Victim Information

Name

Saw[3] A---

Age

31 years old

Gender

Man

Ethnicity

Karen

Marital Status  

Married

Occupation

Farmer

Religion

Christian

Position

-

Village

Ab--- village, Ler Muh Plaw village tract, Lu Thaw Township, Mu Traw District.

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

Unknown

Unknown

Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[4] #92, under the State Administration Council (SAC)[5]

Htaw Muh Pleh Meh army camp [near Htee Kheh Hkee village, Ler Muh Plaw village tract]

Unknown

 

Part 2 - Information Quality

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

On January 24th 2024, at 9:45 am, a villager from Ab--- village, Ler Muh Plaw village tract, named Saw A---, stepped on a landmine planted by SAC soldiers and his left leg was broken. [On March 1st 2024, the KHRG field researcher conducted an interview with the victim].

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

Saw A--- provided this information and so this information is accurate because who provided this information was the victim himself.

 

Part 3 – Complete Description of the Incident

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

On January 24th 2024, at 9:45 am, a villager from Ab--- village, Ler Muh Plaw village tract, Lu Thaw Township, Mu Traw District, named Saw A---, stepped on a landmine planted by the State Administration Council (SAC). At the time, Saw A--- and five of his friends were going together to search for a [suitable] place to do hill farming for the next year. He stepped on the landmine at Aa--- Place [, near Ab--- village], in Ler Muh Plaw village tract, and was injured on his left leg.

 

According to Saw A---: “The type of landmine was an M-14. I knew it [type of landmine]. Burma [Army] soldiers use it [such type of landmine]. Its colour is green. It is called M-14. The enemy….Burmese [Burma Army soldiers] planted it”. The victim claimed that this landmine was planted by Burma Army soldiers [as the type of landmine is used by Burma Army soldiers] but he was not sure why Burma Army soldiers planted it. There is a Burma Army camp called Htaw Muh Pleh Meh army camp [where Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #92 is based,] located close to Ab--- village, Ler Muh Plaw village tract.

 

After Saw A--- was injured by the landmine, his friends helped him and transported him to Ac---’s clinic [administered by the Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW)[6]], in Naw Yoh Hta village tract, Lu Thaw Township. On January 25th 2024, at 10:30 am, Saw A---’s leg was amputated at the clinic. He received medical treatment free of charge.

 

Saw A--- is a farmer who did hill farming for his living. After he got injured, he faced many challenges [like difficulties to work or travel as before]. He depends on his siblings who support him for his living.

 

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 gave permission to use [publish] this information in order to reduce human rights violations [by increasing awareness].

                    

 

 

 

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

 
Mon, 23 Dec 2024

Footnotes: 

[1] The present document is based on information received in March 2024. It was provided by a community member in Mu Traw 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] ‘Saw’ is a S’gaw Karen male honorific title used before a person’s name.

[4] A Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) comprises 500 soldiers. Most Light Infantry Battalions in the Tatmadaw are under-strength with less than 200 soldiers, yet 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.

[5] 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.

[6] 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.

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