Civil War In Mon Areas

Independent Mon News Agency

Feb 12 2004

The civil war in the Mon areas has remained shocking. The Mon splinter group has been attacking the Burmese troops since Dec 15.

Recently, six people were arrested and beaten badly by LIB 586 because they were accused of supporting the rebels. They were hanged on trees, burnt and had their faces cut.

There are Mon splinter group bases in this area and they have often launched military offensives on the Burmese troops.

The military troops often come to the villages and intimidate the villagers. The Burmese military tries to force the villagers to reveal where the rebels base their operations.

According to a villager named Nine Won, the Burmese army captured four people who they suspected were hiding weapons to aid the Mon rebels in Jonkayar village on Jan 16. "The troops forced and beat the people to reveal their stashed weapons," he added

Four people were severely wounded from beatings they received. The people did not produce any hidden weapons. . The secretary of the village, Nai Tun Kyi, was injured by being struck on the head with a gun. He was able to be released by the troops by bribing them 50,000 kyats.

The Mon rebel group separated from the New Mon State Party in 1995 because they didn’t agree with the ceasefire with the Burmese regime. The groups are based in Southern part of Mon state and in Ye township defending the Mon people from the military troop’s oppression of human rights and land confiscation.