Type of Incident

Landmine explosion causing injury [to a 14-year-old girl]

Date of Incident(s)

May 29th 2024

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract[2], Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District

Victim Information

Name

Ma[3] E---

Age

14 years old

Gender

Woman

Ethnicity

Bamar[4]

Marital Status  

-

Occupation

Student

Religion

Buddhist

Position

Villager

Village

H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract, Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

Unknown

Unknown

Combined troops from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[5] #439, LIB #307 and [unknown battalion(s) under] Light Infantry Division (LID)[6] #77

Ka Nyut Kwin army camp [LIB #439]; Shway Wa army camp [LIB #307]; Nat Than Kwin Town [unknown battalion(s) under LID #77]

Unknown

1. Explain in detail how this information was collected.

A local leader of the Karen Department of Healthcare and Welfare (KDHW)[7] in Moo Township, named P’Doh[8] Saw B---, informed the KHRG researcher about the incident. On May 30th 2024, [the KHRG researcher] went to meet the victim [at a Karen National Union (KNU)[9]-administered hospital in Hplee Hta village tract, Moo Township], to take photos [of the victim’s injuries] and conduct an interview with the victim’s uncle, named U[10] C---.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The person [U C---] who provided this information is a family member of the victim and was present in the village during the incident. He also sent the victim to the hospital.

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail.

During February 2024, combined troops from the State Administration Council (SAC)[11] Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #439, based in Ka Nyut Kwin army camp; LIB #307, based in Shway Wa army camp; and unknown battalion(s) under Light Infantry Division (LID) #77 from Nat Than Kwin Town, entered some areas and villages in Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District. Then, they burned down houses, fired mortar rounds, and planted landmines [in those Moo Township areas], thus making many villagers afraid and [forcing them to] flee. When the villagers returned to their houses after the SAC retreated, many cases of villagers being injured by landmines occurred, as the SAC had planted landmines in the villages [and surrounding areas].

On May 29th 2024, at 8:30 am, a 14-year-old villager named Ma E--- and her mother, [both residents of] H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract, Moo Township, were going to a place nearby the school [to dispose of] a tree branch [after cleaning their house]. [On the way], Ma E--- stepped on a M14 mine, which had been planted by the SAC. She sustained serious injuries on both of her legs, losing her right leg [due to the explosion]. At that time, there were Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[12] soldiers in the village and, therefore, with their help and accompaniment, Ma E--- was taken to a KNU-administered hospital [in Hplee Hta village tract, Moo Township] by her parents and her uncle, named U C---.  Her right leg had to be operated on, but her left leg did not need to be amputated even though she also sustained injuries to it.

Regarding the treatment at the hospital, Ma E---’s uncle, U C---, explained: “Now, I don’t know about the treatment cost yet. The medics at the clinic understand us [our financial difficulties] and mostly they will help civilians [treat them for free]. […] They [the victim’s parents] face difficulties, as their family[’s financial] condition is not that stable. I told them [the victim’s parents] not to feel down and told them that the doctors will understand us.” U C--- further explained: “Her [the victim’s] parents are daily wage labourers. […] Now, we can’t work. We can’t travel either, as there is shelling happening, and we also have to be afraid of the landmines underground. It is very difficult to [secure] a livelihood. It is quite difficult for the villagers in the village. For farmers, it is better but for daily wage labourers, they don’t know what to do in this situation”. [It is unknown whether their family received any support for medical costs or livelihood costs from any organisations after the treatment].

As the SAC soldiers had planted several landmines [while they were patrolling in H--- village area in February 2024], the villagers have to travel and work in fear, because they do not know where the landmines have been planted. Due to Ma E---’s incident, the villagers feel like there is no safety when they are travelling, and they have to live in fear.

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

The victim allowed KHRG to use and publish this information to let other people know about this incident.