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Karen Human Rights Group

Kler Lwee Htoo District Incident Report: One villager injured, another one missing after being shot at by the Tatmadaw in Moo Township, May 2021

This photo was taken on May 28th 2021 in H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District.

It shows the gunshot injury sustained by Saw A---. The bullet fired by a Tatmadaw soldier went through his kneecap.

[Photo: KHRG]

 

Part 1 – Incident Details

Type of Incident

Type of Incident

Armed attack against civilians resulting in injuries

Armed attack against civilians resulting in injuries

Type of Incident

Date of Incident(s)

Armed attack against civilians resulting in injuries

May 28th 2021

Type of Incident

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

Armed attack against civilians resulting in injuries

H--- village, F--- village tract,[2] Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District 

Type of Incident

Armed attack against civilians resulting in injuries

Date of Incident(s)

May 28th 2021

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

H--- village, F--- village tract,[2] Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District 

Victim Information

Victim Information

Victim Information

Name

Saw[3] B---

Saw A---

Victim Information

Age

27

36

Victim Information

Sex

Male

Male

Victim Information

Nationality

Karen

Karen

Victim Information

Family   

Married

N/A

Victim Information

Occupation

N/A

N/A

Victim Information

Religion

N/A

N/A

Victim Information

Village

H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District 

H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District 

Victim Information

Name

Saw[3] B---

Saw A---

Age

27

36

Sex

Male

Male

Nationality

Karen

Karen

Family   

Married

N/A

Occupation

N/A

N/A

Religion

N/A

N/A

Village

H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District 

H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District 

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

-

-

Infantry Battalion #75

-

Deputy Commander Zaw Win Naing

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

-

-

Infantry Battalion #75

-

Deputy Commander Zaw Win Naing

 

Part 2 - Information Quality

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

A KHRG researcher interviewed the family of one of the victims (Saw B---).

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

A KHRG researcher interviewed the family of one of the victims (Saw B---).

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The sources took the injured victim to the hospital after the incident.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The sources took the injured victim to the hospital after the incident.

 

Part 3 – Complete Description of the Incident

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

This incident happened on May 28th 2021, at 11 am, in H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District. A patrol of Tatmadaw[4] soldiers opened fire on two local villagers, 36-year-old Saw A--- and 27-year-old Saw B---. Both of them were inside the same hut at the time of the incident. The soldiers involved were from Infantry Battalion (IB)[5] #75, which is led by deputy commander Zaw Win Naing. They later argued that they fired at these villagers because they thought they were Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[6] soldiers.

 

The incident place is just one hour away on foot from the main road. Saw C---, Saw B---’s father, was on his way to the hut when he heard gunshots and ran away. He went back to the hut after the gunfire [had ceased] and the situation had cooled down. He saw blood at the incident place and eventually found Saw A--- hiding in the bushes. One bullet had gone through his kneecap, so he was not able to run away. Saw C--- took him back to the village and villagers sent him to Ler Doh (Kyaukkyi) General Hospital. Saw B--- is now missing. No one knows where he is or whether he is still alive. His shoes and bag were not at the incident place anymore.

 

Saw C--- arrived at the hospital [with Saw A---] at 4 pm but, at 7 pm, Tatmadaw soldiers came and took [Saw A---] away on the pretext of providing him treatment. A local villager told KHRG: “Saw A---’s knee was badly injured. He won’t be able to walk again, even after the treatment. The nurse contacted the military hospital and they [Tatmadaw soldiers] came and took him. We cannot contact him on his phone. The Burma Army keeps his phone and we cannot talk to him. We only got to talk to him [on the phone] once [after he was taken away].” He added: “We haven’t heard anything about Saw B---. We cannot find him since there are travel restrictions [in place] due to security reasons.”

 

The local villager further explained that, in his opinion, the soldiers had taken Saw A--- [from the hospital] to keep word of the incident from spreading: “I think that the Burma Army soldiers do not want the information [about the shooting] to spread. This is just like what happened in the past. One of my cousins was also alone inside a hut after he came back from fishing. Burma Army soldiers went to his hut, then they left a letter saying: ‘We took him for treatment’. We tried to find him, but we could not.”

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

This incident happened on May 28th 2021, at 11 am, in H--- village, F--- village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District. A patrol of Tatmadaw[4] soldiers opened fire on two local villagers, 36-year-old Saw A--- and 27-year-old Saw B---. Both of them were inside the same hut at the time of the incident. The soldiers involved were from Infantry Battalion (IB)[5] #75, which is led by deputy commander Zaw Win Naing. They later argued that they fired at these villagers because they thought they were Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[6] soldiers.

 

The incident place is just one hour away on foot from the main road. Saw C---, Saw B---’s father, was on his way to the hut when he heard gunshots and ran away. He went back to the hut after the gunfire [had ceased] and the situation had cooled down. He saw blood at the incident place and eventually found Saw A--- hiding in the bushes. One bullet had gone through his kneecap, so he was not able to run away. Saw C--- took him back to the village and villagers sent him to Ler Doh (Kyaukkyi) General Hospital. Saw B--- is now missing. No one knows where he is or whether he is still alive. His shoes and bag were not at the incident place anymore.

 

Saw C--- arrived at the hospital [with Saw A---] at 4 pm but, at 7 pm, Tatmadaw soldiers came and took [Saw A---] away on the pretext of providing him treatment. A local villager told KHRG: “Saw A---’s knee was badly injured. He won’t be able to walk again, even after the treatment. The nurse contacted the military hospital and they [Tatmadaw soldiers] came and took him. We cannot contact him on his phone. The Burma Army keeps his phone and we cannot talk to him. We only got to talk to him [on the phone] once [after he was taken away].” He added: “We haven’t heard anything about Saw B---. We cannot find him since there are travel restrictions [in place] due to security reasons.”

 

The local villager further explained that, in his opinion, the soldiers had taken Saw A--- [from the hospital] to keep word of the incident from spreading: “I think that the Burma Army soldiers do not want the information [about the shooting] to spread. This is just like what happened in the past. One of my cousins was also alone inside a hut after he came back from fishing. Burma Army soldiers went to his hut, then they left a letter saying: ‘We took him for treatment’. We tried to find him, but we could not.”

 

Part 4 - Permission for Using the Details

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

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

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

The family of Saw B--- provided permission to use this information.

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

The family of Saw B--- provided permission to use this information.

 

Further background reading on human rights abuses committed by the Tatmadaw in Southeast Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports:

  • “Kler Lwee Htoo District Short Update: Increased militarisation and fighting between the Tatmadaw and the KNLA prevent IDPs from returning home in Ler Doh Township, March to May 2021”, May 2021.
  • “A Worrisome Escalation: Tatmadaw airstrikes kill at least 16 villagers, displace thousands in Mu Traw and Kler Lwee Htoo districts, March 2021”, May 2021.
  • “Mu Traw District Short Update: Skirmishes, indiscriminate shelling by the Tatmadaw and landmine contamination in Dwe Lo and Bu Tho townships, March and April 2021”, May 2021.