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On December 8th 2023, the SAC [State Administration Council[2]]’s LIBs [Light Infantry Battalions][3] #559 and #560, based in Lay Nya village, patrolled to L--- village, Sa Tein village tract[4], Ler K’Saw Township, Mergui-Tavoy District. Before the SAC soldiers reached L--- village, they entered J--- village, Sa Tein village tract, and arrested seven J--- villagers then forced them to carry ammunition for them [SAC] to L--- village.
Before the SAC reached near L--- village, they entered V--- Place [villagers’ plantation area], into the plantation of a villager named Ko[5] K---. The time that the SAC arrived at Ko K---’s plantation was 9:30 am. One of the SAC soldiers pointed a gun at Ko K--- as soon as they reached the plantation and forced him to kneel down. SAC soldiers arrested five labour workers and one plantation owner [Ko K---]. According to the L--- villager, Ko K---: “After the SAC arrested us [Ko K--- and the five labour workers], they gathered us together then ordered us to carry the stuff that they brought with them. Then they released the seven J--- villagers [that they arrested earlier]. They [SAC] also forced us to continue carrying the packages that the J--- villagers had carried for them. They didn’t walk in front of us, they demanded us to walk in front of them instead [as navigators and human shields]. There is no path on the road, so we had to walk in fear [of stepping on a landmine]. The packages were heavy so one of the SAC soldiers said to take a rest. But another one said ‘Hey… aren’t you guys men? Do not take a rest. Go quickly!’, and they also kicked our bottoms. At that time, we needed to continue our journey without taking a rest.”
While they continued their journey for a while, an SAC General [name unknown] ordered them [the arrested villagers] to navigate the way to a nearby cell phone tower. Then the SAC General said he would release them [the six L--- villagers] when they reached the cell phone tower. After they arrived at the cell phone tower, the SAC General said no one should know they were there. He said that if they [SAC] were shot [by armed resistance forces], he would kill them [villagers] all. After, he released the six L--- villagers at 11:30 am.
After the six villagers arrived back to their village [L--- village], villagers in the village asked where they came back from. After hearing the response, the villagers stayed in the village full of fear. Since this incident, villagers run [flee] far away as soon as they hear Burma Army soldiers entering [or near] the village.
[KHRG has received previous information about these same SAC LIBs #559 and #560 committing arbitrary arrests and torture of villagers in Sa Tein village tract in November 2023.[6]
Further background reading on the situation on arbitrary arrest and human shields in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports: