House burning in Noh T’Kaw (Kyainseikgyi) Township
On January 12th 2023, State Administration Council (SAC)[2] soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[3] #32 divided themselves into two groups: one group marched to A--- village and burned two villagers’ houses in A--- village, T’Hka Kloh village tract[4], Noh T’Kaw (Kyainseikgyi) Township, while the other group marched to B--- village and burned down two Kaw Thoo Lei [Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[5]] checkpoints at B--- village, Wa Ma village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township. A villager from A--- village and a village head from B--- village reported these incidents to a KHRG researcher.
Looting in Noh T’Kaw Township
On January 13th 2023, SAC soldiers from LIB #32, who were based in B--- village, marched to Wa Ma Hkee village, Wa Ma village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township. They looted villagers’ belongings, and cooked and ate villagers’ chickens. They damaged several of the villagers’ wooden doors [of their houses] by smashing them. On January 16th 2023, other LIB #32 soldiers based in T’Hka Hkee village, T’Hka Hkee village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township, marched to C--- village, T’Hka Kloh village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township. When they arrived, they found a house where the owner was absent and broke the house door, entered the house and looted 600,000 kyat [285.70 USD][6] and one telephone. The house owner was in his rubber field and his wife was sheltering at Khoh Ther Pler Town, Noh T’Kaw Township. SAC soldiers also entered another house, but the owner was present, so they did not take anything from the house. This information was given by a villager from C--- village.
Killing of a villager in Noh T’ Kaw Township
On January 13th 2023, LIB #32 encountered a villager named Saw[7] Leh Htoo, aged 35 years old, who was riding his motorbike near B--- village, Wa Ma village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township. He was returning to his village, Wa Ma Hkee village, Wa Ma village tract, after he had visited his wife’s village, Meh Theh village, Meh Theh village tract, Kru Thu Township. The SAC asked him to stop but he did not, so the soldiers shot him. Saw Leh Htoo was hit in the back and died immediately. On January 15th, Saw Leh Htoo’s body was collected by his wife along with a Wa Ma Hkee village head from the incident place [B--- village] and on the same day, he was buried at Wa Ma Hkee village, Wa Ma village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township.
SAC requested to meet with a village head in Noh T’ Kaw Township
On January 16th 2023, SAC LIB #32 from Kya In Seik Gyi Town, Noh T’Kaw Township were conducting military operations in Noh T’Kaw Township and they stopped at T’Hka Hkee church, T’Hka Hkee village, T’Hka Hkee village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township. They asked to meet with the village head, however, the village head had fled before the SAC arrived at the village. Therefore, SAC LIB #32 soldiers talked to a priest from T’Hka Hkee church. The priest explained to the soldiers that the village head had fled earlier because he feared them [the SAC]. Then the SAC soldiers informed the priest, not to be scared of them because they were not going to harm the villagers. The priest asked the soldiers about how the SAC had previously burned villagers’ houses in A--- village. The soldiers told to the priest that the SAC did not do this and said not to worry. The SAC spent a night at T’Hka Hkee church. They did not cause destruction but caused fear and intimidation by coming to stay in a civilian building.
On January 23rd 2023, at 8 pm, KNLA troops attacked an SAC police station in Khoh Ther Pler Town, Noh T’Kaw Township, and burned two government administration offices. There were no casualties.
Fighting in Waw Ray Township
On January 10th 2023, fighting broke out between KNLA soldiers combined with People’s Defence Force (PDF)[8] soldiers and SAC soldiers in Lay Naw village, Kwee K’Hsaw Hsee village tract, Waw Ray Township. Villagers from the nearby villages sought shelter three miles away from the fighting area. On January 13th 2023, local authorities distributed rice and other basic foods to these internally displaced persons.
Displacement due to shelling in Kaw T’Ree Township
The situation in Meh T’Ler village, Hter Wa Law village tract, Kaw T’Ree Township has been insecure for villagers since February 2023. In February 2023, Burma Army soldiers [the SAC], stationed in Hpaw Chi Mu army camp, were shelling indiscriminately into villages, resulting in one male villager being injured on his head. The SAC also increased military activities in Hter Wa Law village tract, Kaw T’Ree Township. Following the shelling, the SAC soldiers verbally threatened villagers from Hter Wa Law village tract, saying that if the SAC suffered attacks by any armed group while they were traveling, they would shell artillery weapons into the village and would burn down the village. Villagers expressed that they were scared upon hearing these threats from the SAC. Therefore, villagers left the village and took shelter in D--- village, Hter Wa Law village tract, Kaw T’Ree Township. On February 17th 2023, 67 households were displaced. As of July 21st 2023, there were nearly 300 households displaced.
This SAC military camp was based very near Hpaw Chi Mu village, Hter Wa Law village tract, Kaw T’Ree Township. The distance between the internally displaced persons' settlement and the SAC military camp is only three miles. Moreover, the displacement camp is not only located very close to the SAC military camp, but also to an SAC checkpoint. Therefore, the displaced population has very poor security and are at high risk of abuse. For instance, the SAC often demands rice and other basic foods from civilians as well as verbally threatening them.
Further background reading on the situation in Dooplaya District can be found in the following KHRG reports: