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Print:This Situation Update describes events occurring in Bu Tho and Dwe Lo townships, Mu Traw (Hpapun) District, during the period between December 14th and February 25th 2022, including air strikes, indiscriminate shelling, landmine explosions, retaliation against civilians and arbitrary taxation. In January and February 2022, the State Administration Council (SAC) conducted air strikes in Dwe Lo Township. Due to the air strikes, three villagers were killed and six villagers were injured. Due to indiscriminate shelling by the SAC and Border Guard Force (BGF), two villagers died and six houses, a monastery and [an unknown number of] pagodas were damaged. Following an attack by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), SAC soldiers retaliated against civilians by forcing some villagers onto a road and shooting guns at them. Furthermore, three villagers were injured due to a landmine explosion, planted by the KNLA. In addition, villagers who travelled along the Yuzalin River were forced to pay a tax to SAC soldiers.[1]
This Situation Update describes incidents, including human rights violations and problems in the community, that happened in Bu Tho Township and Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District during the period between December 14th 2022 and February 25th 2022.
Air strikes by SAC fighter jets
Among the many cases of human rights abuses, a KHRG researcher received an update about the State Administration Council (SAC)[2] dropping bombs into villages in Dwe Lo Township using fighter jets.
On January 12th 2022, two SAC fighter jets dropped [a total of] two bombs into Ler Htoo Poh village, Meh Way village tract[3], Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. When the SAC conducted air strikes in the area, they [SAC soldiers on the ground] also indiscriminately fired mortars into the village. However, there were no casualties.
On January 13th 2022, SAC fighter jets dropped four bombs into Shwe Nyaung Bin village, Waw Mu village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. Due to the air strike, one villager was killed and three villagers were injured.
On February 5th 2022, SAC fighter jets dropped bombs into T’Dwee Hkoh village, Ma Htaw village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. Due to the bombing, two villagers from T’Dwee Hkoh village, Saw[4] So Naing (45 years old) and Naw[5] Su Kho (43 years old) [husband and wife], were killed and their three children were injured. The injured villagers were sent to Wah Kha Der hospital for medical treatment.
Indiscriminate shelling into villages
On January 1st 2022, SAC soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[6] #407 indiscriminately fired a 120 mm mortar [unclear whether it was just one mortar or multiple mortars] into Law Taw Hkee [informal] displacement site, Htee Th’Blut Hta village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. As a result, Saw Phon Yin, a 50-year-old villager, was hit by the shelling and he passed away.
On February 2nd 2022, the combined forces of the SAC and Border Guard Force (BGF)[7] indiscriminately fired a 120 mm mortar [unclear whether it was just one mortar or multiple mortars] into Toh Muh village, Meh Hkoo village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District. As a result, a house was destroyed.
On the afternoon of February 11th 2022, SAC soldiers from LIB #407 indiscriminately fired 120 mm mortars [unclear how many mortars] into Htee Law Thi Hta village, Htee Th’Blut Hta village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. As a result, Naw Th’Kaw Lah Hpaw, a 22-year-old woman from Htee Law Thi Hta village, was hit by the shelling and she died.
On February 8th 2022, SAC soldiers from LIB #407 indiscriminately fired 120 mm mortars into Meh Hkoo Hta (Myin Ta Pyay) village, Meh Hkoo village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District. Around 10 of the 120 mm mortar shells fell into the village. As a result of the explosion, five houses, a monastery and [an unknown number of] pagodas were damaged.
Because of the shelling, 350 villagers from Meh Hkoo Hta village, 150 villagers from Htee Doh Hta village and 250 villagers from Toh Muh village fled to other neighbouring villages and forests. In total, 750 villagers were displaced [because of these shelling incidents].
On February 19th, 20th and 21st 2022, SAC soldiers from LIB #407 indiscriminately fired 120 mm mortars, multiple times, into Meh Nyoo Hta village (Pyin Ma village), Meh Nyu village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District. However, there were no causalities.
SAC soldiers threaten villagers in retaliation
On December 14th 2021, Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Zaw Min Htike from SAC LIB #407 was displeased because soldiers from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[8] attacked Ma Htaw [SAC] army camp in Ma Htaw village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. Therefore, he ordered [an unknown number of] Ma Htaw villagers to gather on the vehicle road. Then, SAC soldiers fired guns between their [the villagers’] legs, their thighs and next to their ears multiple times to threaten the villagers. After that, they [SAC soldiers] fired guns continuously along the road in Ma Htaw village to threaten Ma Htaw villagers. Because of the shooting, about 80 Ma Htaw villagers abandoned their village and fled to other villages.
Villagers were injured due to a landmine explosion
On December 30th 2021, because of an exploded landmine that was planted by KNLA Battalion #102, Company #1 soldiers, three villagers were injured. They are named U[9] Aye Chit, 69 years old, Daw[10] Thein Nu, 69 years old, and Ma[11] Po Po, 35 years old. The explosion happened in Way Hsa village, Meh Klaw village tract, Bu Tho Township. They were sent to the 100-bed hospital at Strategic Operation Command [SOC][12] #1 that is based in Hpapun Town. According to the local communities, the KNLA planted the landmines to protect themselves from their enemies.
Arbitrary taxation
Starting from January 1st 2022, local communities were unable to travel on the road from Kamamaung Town to Hpapun Town, as the road was blocked. Therefore, villagers had to travel by boat on the Yuzalin River in order to transport food supplies. However, SAC soldiers who are based at a motorboat checkpoint near the river and close to Ku Seik village, Ma Htaw village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District, forcefully collected taxes from villagers who travelled on the river. They asked for 50,000 kyats [USD 27.01][13] per boat, as a tax. Ko[14] Z---, a 50-year-old man from Ku Seik village cooperated with SAC soldiers and helped collect taxes from villagers who travelled on the river. [Currently, KHRG cannot receive information on whether this villager was forced to cooperate, or not.] The owners of the motorboats could not do anything but pay when they were asked.
Further background reading on the situation of human rights abuses in Mu Traw District in Southeast Burma can be found in the following KHRG reports:
- “Mu Traw District Short Update: SAC troops fired mortars into a village, killing seven villagers and injuring four, March 2022”, March 2022.
- “Mu Traw District Incident Report: A villager died due to a landmine explosion in Bu Tho Township, January 2022”, February 2022.
- “Mu Traw District Situation Update: Human rights violations including looting, killing, arbitrary arrest and torture, and the burning of houses and villages, April to July 2021”, January 2022.
These photos show a pagoda in Meh Hkoo Hta (Myin Ta Pyay) village, Meh Hkoo village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District that was damaged due to the indiscriminate shelling by SAC LIB #407 on February 8th 2022. [Photos: KHRG]
This photo was taken on February 12th 2022 in Meh Hkoo Hta village, Meh Hkoo village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District. It shows a coconut tree that was damaged during the indiscriminate shelling by SAC LIB #407 on February 8th 2022. [Photo: KHRG]
This photo was taken on February 12th 2022 in Meh Hkoo Hta village, Meh Hkoo village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District. It shows a villager’s house that was damaged due to the indiscriminate shelling, fired by SAC LIB #407 on February 8th 2022. [Photo: KHRG]
This photo was taken on February 20th 2022 in a place near Meh Nyoo Hta village, Meh Nyoo village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District. It shows a piece of a 120 mm mortar shell that was fired by SAC LIB #407 on February 19th 2022. [Photo: KHRG]
Footnotes:
[1] The present document is based on information received in January and March 2022. 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] 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.
[3]A village tract is an administrative unit of between five and 20 villages in a local area, often centred on a large
village.
[4] Saw is a S’gaw Karen male honorific title used before a person’s name.
[5] Naw is a S’gaw Karen female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[6] 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.
[7] Border Guard Force (BGF) battalions of the Tatmadaw were established in 2010, and they are composed mostly of
soldiers from former non-state armed groups, such as older constellations of the DKBA, which have formalised
ceasefire agreements with the Burma/Myanmar government and agreed to transform into battalions within the
Tatmadaw.
[8] The Karen National Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Karen National Union.
[9] U is a Burmese title used for elder men, used before their name.
[10] Daw is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[11] Ma is a Burmese female honorific title used before a person’s name.
[12] Strategic Operations Command; under regional command, three to four battalions and a headquarters, covers an area mostly for defence.
[13] All conversion estimates for the kyat are based on the June 3rd 2022 mid-market exchange rate of 1,000 kyats to USD 0.54 (taken from https://wise.com/gb/currency-converter/mmk-to-usd-rate).
[14] Ko is a Burmese title meaning older brother. It can be used for relatives as well as non-relatives.
