{"id":67799,"date":"2014-02-08T22:25:19","date_gmt":"2014-02-08T22:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.freeburmarangers.org\/?p=59624"},"modified":"2014-02-08T22:27:57","modified_gmt":"2014-02-08T22:27:57","slug":"burma-army-continues-attacks-in-nam-lim-pa-area-kachin-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.freeburmarangers.org\/my\/2014\/02\/08\/burma-army-continues-attacks-in-nam-lim-pa-area-kachin-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Burma Army Continues Attacks in Nam Lim Pa Area, Kachin State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Burma Army Continues Attacks in Nam Lim Pa Area, Kachin State<\/h1>\n
9 February 2014<\/address>\n
Kachin State, Burma<\/address>\n

The Burma Army continues attacks in Nam Lim Pa area in their attempt to drive\u00a0out the Kachin people and control this part of Kachin State.<\/p>\n

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Burma Army RPG Team in Kong Run, Kachin State, on 2 February 2014.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Burma Army continues its attacks with Burma Army Battalions 276 and 601, and other troops from\u00a0Northern Command attacking between Nam Han, Nam Gau, Nam Lim Pa and Kong\u00a0Run Villages, south of Bhamo, Kachin State, Burma. The attacks began on the morning\u00a0of 30 January 2014, when Burma Army troops attacked Nam Gau Village, capturing over 20\u00a0villagers, merchants, truck drivers and trucks. They looted the village,\u00a0destroyed and scattered the families’ belongings, taking captives and\u00a024 trucks with over 100 tons of wood back to the area between Nam Han and\u00a0Kong Run.<\/p>\n

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Villagers within the vicinity of Nam Gau Village flee with their belongings 3 February 2014<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Burma Army Machinegunner at Kong Run on 3 February 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Family possessions in Nam Gau Village were looted and scattered by Burma Army soldiers in late January and early February 2014.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Villagers fled the area, and one man had a bullet hole in\u00a0his motor bike wheel from where Burma Army troops shot at him as he was driving away from the\u00a0village. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA – an ethnic pro-democracy resistance group) arrived at the village to help\u00a0those who had escaped return to gather their belongings and livestock. The\u00a0Burma Army then came back to attack the village on the evening of the 30 January.\u00a0There was rifle grenade and small arms fire as the two sides engaged during the night, \u00a0under 100 meters apart.<\/p>\n

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Burma Army Battalion 601 scarf dropped during attack on Nam Gau Village 31 January 2014.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Burma Army shirt of Northern Command found after attack at Nam Gau Village on 3 February 2014.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next morning fighting intensified as Burma Army Battalion 276 was reinforced and began shelling the village\u00a0with 60mm and 81 mm mortars. Attacks were also enforced with \u00a0infantry assaults supported by RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and\u00a0rifle grenades. During this time one KIA soldier was killed and two were\u00a0wounded, but the KIA held their position.\u00a0Just before sunset on 31 January, \u00a0Burma Army Battalion 601 joined in the attack, using heavy mortar, machine gun and RPG fire as the Burma Army assaulted\u00a0through the villages, pushing the KIA out. The KIA lost the village, and Burma Army troops began looting the homes in the villages.<\/p>\n

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Kachin Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Nam Lim Pa Village prepare to flee again on 6 February 2014.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Four Kachin soldiers that were wounded in Burma Army attacks in the Nam Lim Pa area in January and February 2014.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In response, the KIA went around behind the Burma Army and surrounded the\u00a0base near Kong Run that the assault was launched from. This forced the Burma\u00a0Army troops to withdraw from Nam Gau Village and go defend their garrison. The\u00a0KIA then secured Nam Gau again and helped villagers and merchants evacuate\u00a0their belongings.<\/p>\n

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Church damaged by Burma Army mortar and machine gun fire in November and December 2013 attacks in Nam Lim Pa Village.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Burma Army attacked the KIA near Kong Run Village on 7\u00a0February and fighting continues. As of this report the Burma Army continues\u00a0to hold 10 captives and 24 trucks.<\/p>\n

From our view, the Burma Army attacks the Kachin in this area for\u00a0three main reasons:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0To subjugate the population, and prevent them from supporting the KIA and Kachin government (Kachin Independence Organization- KIO).<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0To drive out the KIA\/KIO, consolidate their control over this part of Kachin State, and cut the Kachin off from Shan and Ta’ang allies in Northern Shan State.<\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0To have total control over the resources in this area, as well as logging routes that cross through this area.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Most villagers have fled the attacks that have continued nonstop since 2011.\u00a0The most recent displacements were in November and December 2013, when over\u00a02,000 people fled, and in January 2014 through the present. In this area alone\u00a0there have been over 200 attacks in the past three years. Many told us they\u00a0believe the Burma Army wants to do away with them and have the Kachin lands\u00a0for themselves.<\/p>\n

    God bless you,<\/p>\n

    Kachin Free Burma Rangers<\/p>\n