Killing, rape, porter and torturing continue in Southern Ye Township

Independent Mon News Agency

July 17, 2004

Killing, rape, porter and torturing – other human rights violations continues by the soldiers of Burmese Army in Southern Ye Township, Southern Burma, according to fifteen villagers who fled from their villages to escape the abuses and arrived to the Mon refugee resettlement camp on July 15.

“Burmese soldiers from Battalion No.273 based in Kanbauk, in Yebyu Township have on a rotation basis used 15 villagers as porters and as human-shields while they lunched offensives against the Mon splinter group. Many villagers were beaten, fed with insufficient food and had to carry heavy ammunitions. The villagers who were suspected supporting splinter group were killed and tortured,” said Mr. Nai Lwi Mon who arrived Hlockhani refugee resettlement camp.

“Many porters from Magyi village who was led by Nai Ar Shane arrived back to the village on July 11, and were tortured until Nai Ar Shane’s hand was broken because serious beating. Nai Kon Pha, village secretary from Mi-htaw-hlar-gyi village and Nai Ngae from Magyi village were killed by this battalion soldiers under the command of Maj. Khin Kyaw Soe with a suspecion of supporting Mon splinter group,” Nai Lwi Mon from fled from Magyi village explained.

“Many young men were frightened by pointing guns to them, checking on them and many women were harassed by the solder” Mr. Nai Win who arrived with Nai Lwi Mon added.

“Mi Yee, 23 years old was raped by Sergeant Min Oo about 15 days ago and about 5 young women moved to town after the soldier committed harassment against them,” Nai Win explained. At nights, the soldiers also climbed up many houses and looted livestock, clothing, and other valuable things and had argument with villagers. Later, after the villagers were frightened to be killed, most of them kept quite even they found looting in front of them, added the man.

“Every week 15 men used as porter on a rotation basis and they do not allow them going to farms and plantations. People in the village lost their regular job,” Nai Lwi added.

“Although, the villager who afraid the torture of the soldier and no income for eat moved to Ye and fled to Thailand for seeking job,” said Nai Lwi.

Hundreds of villagers from Southern Ye Township fled to Thailand since the beginning of 2004 to escape from the persecution of Burmese Army that has lunched military offensives against the Mon splinter group led by Nai Hlein and his commander Nai San Shay which has military activities against the Burmese Army, according to the camp leader Nai Kao Chan.

Some families decided to live in the camp and some entered illegally into Thailand to seek work according to Nai Kao Chan.

Many villages including Magyi, Danikya, Mi-htaw-hlar-gyi, in southern part of Ye Township are threaten similarly by the Burmese Army and the villagers disappoint to continue living in their villages because of human rights violations, according to Nai Win.

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