Type of Incident

Landmine explosion

Date of Incident(s)

January 8th 2021

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

A--- village, Ta Maw Daw village tract, Thaton Township, Doo Tha Htoo District

Victim Information

Name

Saw B---

Age

12

Sex

Male

Family   

Single

Position

Schoolchild

Village

A--- village, Thaton Township, Doo Tha Htoo District

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

Unknown

Unknown

KNLA Brigade #1, Battalion #2/KNDO

Unknown

Unknown

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

This information was provided by the Karen Women Organisation’s (KWO) secretary for Thaton Township.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The source provided assistance to the family of the victim after the incident and helped arrange his transportation to the clinic.

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

On January 8th 2021 at around 8 am, Saw B---, a 12-year-old boy from A--- village, Ta Maw Daw village tract, Thaton Township, Doo Tha Htoo District stepped on a landmine while collecting Thay T’way [Grewia Polygama] bark[5] in a forest three miles [4.83 km] away from his village with a group of older villagers. His left foot was blown off in the explosion. He also sustained injuries to his right thigh.

After the incident, the older villagers carried him back to the village. Later that day, he was sent to the Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW)[6] clinic in the Karen National Union (KNU)[7] Thaton District office for treatment. He was discharged from the clinic after three weeks and sent back to his village. Saw B--- is an orphan [his mother died and his father left him]. He now lives with his widowed aunt, but she is struggling with livelihood challenges. The victim did not need to pay any medical fees. He also received financial support from local villagers, township leaders and the KWO. He got 350,000 kyats [USD 248.25][8] in total.

As it is difficult for his aunt to send Saw B--- back to the clinic, KNU medics have been visiting him in A--- village regularly to monitor his condition. As of March 4th 2021, he was recovering well without further complications.

The landmine that caused the incident was planted by the KNLA Brigade #1, Battalion #2 or the affiliated Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO).[9] On January 1st 2021, the KNLA informed local villagers that they would plant landmines in the forest. KNLA soldiers warned the villagers again on the evening of January 7th and the morning of January 8th 2021. According to the KWO secretary for Thaton Township, a group of villagers saw KNLA soldiers in the forest while collecting Thay T’way bark the day before the incident.

In late December 2020, the Tatmadaw sent more troops to and increased its patrolling activities in the region following several rounds of fighting with the KNLA in Mu Traw District.[10] This amounts to a violation of Section 5(c) of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA),[11] which states that the signatories must “avoid troop reinforcements in the ceasefire areas other than the provision of administrative support.”

This increased Tatmadaw activity led KNLA Brigade #1, Battalion #2 to plant landmines in order to prevent the Tatmadaw from operating in some areas. [According to a KHRG researcher, Tatmadaw troops are particularly active in the forest where the incident took place.] The planting of new landmines is a violation of sections 5(a) of the NCA and 8(A) of its corresponding Code of Conduct.

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

The victim’s aunt allowed KHRG to use this information.