A group of Mon splinter
committed in more atrocities
Independent Mon News
Agency
May 10, 2005
The local Mon villagers, who
were robbed during a well known pagoda festival “Meang-ma-lort”
in southern part of Ye Township in Mon State accused of ‘Nai Chan Done’ and his
troops involved in robbing gold wares from villagers and killing some
civilians, but the accusation is denied by the Mon splinter commander
today.
“We did not involve in the
robbery. We were not active in that area. It is wrong accusation. There could be other people who put our names
in stead”, denied by Nai Chan Don.
“While they (the Mon armed
group soldiers) are robbing, one of the leader is shouting that he is ‘Chan
Done’,” Mr. Khaing Win, whose belongings were robbed
in the incident along with many other pagoda festival goers on April 17, on the
eve of Mon new year Songkaram.
“We were in Thai border last
year (in Mon new year that means before April 17). We did not have any
activity in Yebyu and Southern Ye Townships,”
insisted by Nai Chan Done.
Although he denied, a robber
who was shot in the attack by a Burmese commander, Nai Win,
was his comrade and he is also well-known low-rank commander in the splinter
group, and it is confirmed by the local Mon victims that the robber group
belonged to him.
Eleven Burman civilians were
killed in the robbery incident by shooting and torturing and other Mon festival
goers had to give their different models of gold wares to the robbers after
threats for killing, said the victims. The robbers involved in two entrance
points of the pagoda near Kalort village and Yin-ye
village.
The attack by a Burmese
commander happened at the entrance point of Meang-ma-lort
pagoda near Kalort village and the killing incident
to ordinary Burman civilians happened at the entrance of Yin-ye village.
“During the incident (near
Ying-ye village), the robbers split the group into two: Mon villagers and
Burman people. Then they killed the Burmans first by shooting and then by cutting their throats
with sharp knifes. Many Mon villagers
saw the incidents and some women were getting shock and became
unconsciousness”, explained a local car driver, Mr. Nai Aung (not his real
name) who received talking from victims.
Robbery incident has never
been happened in this festival before, as the Mon people are worshiping the
pagoda peacefully and this festival is also the biggest occasion in southern
part of Ye Township. Ten
of thousands of worshippers also enjoyed in this pagoda for several years. In this robbery incident, about 70 visses (about 100 kilograms) of gold wares
were robbed, estimated by the villagers.
After two days of this
killing and robbery incident, 8 passengers were again killed in a robbery
incident on Ye-Tavoy motor road near a village called
‘31 Miles’.
He also admitted that his
group even used to rob the passengers along Ye-
Tavoy motor road near Malawe-taing area, the
border of
“But now we do not involve in
the robbery like before” denied Nai Chan Done.
Nai Chan Don was a member of
HRP (Hongsawati Restoration Party) during it was
active in Ye Township and Thailand-Burma border area near
Before the existing of HRP,
he split from New Mon State Party after killing some NMSP members and took
guns. Then he involved for robbery for
sometimes and then joined HRP in 2001.
He and his troops also assassinated a NMSP leader and 3 NMSP members in
October 2002.
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