Date of Attacks: 3 March to 17 March, 2002 and continuing as of this report. <\/p>\n
Date of Report: 21 March, 2002 <\/p>\n
Report submitted by: A relief team assisting IDPs in Papun and Nyaunglebin districts of the Northern Karen State, February- March 2002. <\/p>\n
GENERAL: <\/p>\n
On 3 March, 2002, the Burma Army launched an offensive against villagers and IDPs in two Northern districts of the Karen State, Papun and Nyaunglebin districts. These attacks follow the November 2001-January 2002 offensive in the same area. From Nov, 2001 to March, 2002, a total of 30 villages burned. <\/p>\n
In March alone, the Burma Army has burned down 11 villages, planted landmines throughout the area, destroyed numerous paddy fields and rice barns, looted property as well as killing two villagers who could not escape. The offensive is now the most intense in the Papun-Nyaunglebin border area with 6 Burma Army battalions conducting search and destroy missions. <\/p>\n
Many of these villages had just been rebuilt following their destruction by the Burma Army in November , December 2001 and January 2002. In and around each village were also many IDPs (more than 2,000 total), who had fled their villages deeper inside Burma due to earlier attacks. Some families have been on the run for six years straight. All these people are now hiding in the jungle and are vulnerable to discovery and attack at any time. The security of over 4,000 people in north-central Papun district alone is now in jeopardy as the Burma Army is attacking this areas from three directions, (from the north, south and west). This offensive has stopped the planting of new rice and as it follows the winter 2001 offensive that stopped and destroyed most harvesting, food is in critical need. <\/p>\n
The Burma Army units involved this offensive are six light infantry battalions (LIB), from Divisions 10, 22,33 and 44. One regular infantry battalion (IB), is also operating in this area. <\/p>\n
This offensive follows the November 2001- January 2002 attacks that destroyed 18 villages and left over 3,000 people homeless . These 3,000 new IDPs were in addition to the 1,800 IDPs whose hiding places were attacked by the Burma Army at the same time. <\/p>\n