{"id":76302,"date":"2020-07-16T20:05:48","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T00:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.freeburmarangers.org\/?p=76302"},"modified":"2020-07-16T20:05:48","modified_gmt":"2020-07-17T00:05:48","slug":"burma-army-attacks-kidnaps-tortures-villagers-western-burma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.freeburmarangers.org\/my\/2020\/07\/16\/burma-army-attacks-kidnaps-tortures-villagers-western-burma\/","title":{"rendered":"Burma Army Attacks, Kidnaps, and Tortures Villagers in Western Burma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Burma Army Attacks, Kidnaps, and Tortures Villagers in Western Burma<\/h1>\n

16\u00a0July 2020<\/em><\/p>\n

Arakan State, Burma<\/p>\n

\"Burma
Burma Army fighter jets firing into Chin State, Burma.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

**WARNING: This report contains graphic photos of victims of a Burma Army airstrike**<\/em><\/h4>\n

Photos provided by local villagers.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Burma Army\u2019s attacks continue in western Burma and civilians living there, regardless of religion, continue to suffer in the indiscriminate violence of the Burma Army\u2019s attempts to defeat the Arakan Army (the local Ethnic Armed Organization, or EAO). In recent months, more than 10,000 Chin (who are mostly Christian), Arakan (who are primarily Buddhist, and Khumi (mostly Christian) villagers, have been displaced in Chin State as fighting between the Burma Army and Arakan Army has spilled across the border from Arakan to Chin state. Additionally, 70,000 mostly Buddhist Arakan villagers have been displaced in the last year and over one million Rohingya villagers (who are primarily Muslim) remain displaced from their homes and living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. As will be seen from interviews below, the Burma Army continues a longstanding practice of using violence against civilians in its efforts to defeat the Ethnic Armed Organizations, who are trying to defend their people.<\/p>\n

\"Villagers
Villagers displaced by the fighting now living in Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Villagers Kidnapped and Tortured<\/strong><\/p>\n

Normal, day-to-day activities carry high risk for civilians as the Burma Army can at will detain them for questioning and, with impunity, arrest, torture or kill them for suspected affiliation with the Arakan Army.<\/p>\n

U Nga Mae, a 75-year-old from Kyauk Tan Village, Rathedaung Township, shared how, on March 12, the Burma Army took him while he was herding buffalo, asking him if he was a member of the Arakan Army. He said he was not part of the group, but still the soldiers beat him twice. Again, the soldiers asked if he was associated with the Arakan Army. Again, U Nga Mae said no.<\/p>\n

After his second reply, the Burma Army soldiers took him and kept him for two days. While he was held, the soldiers interrogated him and then tortured him when they didn\u2019t get the information they were looking for from U Nga Mae.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt so bad- the feeling like that of the nose bone breaking,\u201d said U Nga Mae of the torture.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that, [the soldiers] took me to Htee Swae Village and when we reached there, they asked me \u2018Where is the Arakan Army?\u2019 I answered them that the Arakan Army is in all villages.\u201d<\/p>\n

The soldiers would continue to torture U Nga Mae at night, again and again. The soldiers were from Battalion 551 and U Nga Mae estimated there were about 120 soldiers encamped at Htee Swae Village.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got four injuries in my head when they beat [me] up by using the knife,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In total, U Nga Mae was kept in their custody for four days before he was able to run away while his guards were sleeping.<\/p>\n

60-year-old Mg Kyaw Tun, from Amyat Daung Village, reports similar questionings by the Burma Army who now live in his village.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Burma Army often take us to ask about the Arakan Army, questions like \u2018Where is the Arakan Army?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cThey burn the village when they don\u2019t get the information they want. So, we run away fearfully to avoid them\u2026 The cows, buffalos, and grains were left in the village [but] the grains and houses are burned now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aye Mi Win, a 45-year-old woman from Lahkoate Village, said, \u201cI want to request the Arakan Army and Burma Army to avoid ongoing war near the village. The government military, which we count on to protect our lives safely and peacefully, are violent and torture people cruelly. How can we count on them? They treat us like the enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Htay Hlaing, 30 years old from Far Pro Village, encountered the Burma Army during a lunch break. One day, Htay Hlaing, who works with an electrical tower company, returned to his village to eat lunch. There he met 20 Burma Army troops who told him they would kill him because the soldiers thought he was a part of the Arakan Army. Even though he wasn\u2019t Arakan Army, and said so to the soldiers, the soldiers badly beat him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI lost a lot of blood because of the injuries and being tortured by them,\u201d Htay Hlaing said. \u201cThey left me when they thought I was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Htay Hlaing hid in a nearby house where the soldiers couldn\u2019t easily find him. The soldiers remained for the day, killing and eating local chickens and pigs. The next morning Htay Hlaing came out of hiding and, even though the soldiers saw him, escaped.<\/p>\n

\"Villagers
Villagers packed and ready to flee the attacks in Chin State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Burning Villages and Those Who Couldn\u2019t Escape<\/strong><\/p>\n

While some villagers, like U Nga Mae and Htay Hlaing, are able to escape the Burma Army, many others are not. Their stories are\u00a0told by the survivors.<\/p>\n

Ma Aye Nyunt, 66 years old from Far Pro Village, Minbya Township, recounts how she saw the Burma Army come and burn her village. She was sitting in her house on May 29 when the soldiers arrived. She ran away but watched as the soldiers first burned her house and then the houses of two of her friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw they were burning the village with my own eyes. They burned one home after another. One grandmother died in the fires because she couldn\u2019t walk. I think another person, Aung Tan Thar (51), was put into the fire by Burma Army troops after the troops killed him,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n

65-year-old Daw Nu San was also in Far Pro Village that day.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 40 Burma Army troops burnt my home first. I couldn\u2019t say anything because I was afraid they would beat me if I requested them not to [burn down my house]. After they burned my home, they prepared to burn U Aung Thein Tan\u2019s home. [At the same time], about 10 Burma Army troops targeted U Aung Thein Tun with their guns. They allowed U Aung Thein Tan to leave when many houses were burning. I also ran away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daw Nu San saw U Aung Thein Tun\u2019s mother-in-law and tried to lift her but couldn\u2019t which meant she had to leave her behind, alone in the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoreover, [the Burma Army soldiers] cruelly killed one villager called U Aung Tun Thar [through] head injuries before putting him into the fire,\u201d added Daw Nu San.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Porter by Force<\/strong><\/p>\n

Along with the conflict and danger of detainment by Burma Army soldiers, villagers also risk being taken and forced to serve as porters. Mg Khin Win, from Lat Khout Village, is one villager who was taken along with 12 others by the Burma Army and forced to porter while also being tortured and refused food and water. Eventually the villagers were let go.<\/p>\n

\"The
The impact of a Burma Army airstrike in Chin State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Landmine and Airstrikes<\/strong><\/p>\n

At 11 a.m. on May 24, Manug Htin Aung, a 40-year-old farmhand from Kan Thati Village, Ponnag Yun Township, stepped on a landmine while he was cutting bamboo in the hills west of his village.<\/p>\n

On April 22, the Burma Army fired heavy weapons into Paletwa City, killing one lady, her daughter, and a boy. Ei Thanda, a 25-year-old Chin woman, was killed in the attack along with her daughter, 4-year-old Moe Moe Aung, and an 8-year-old Rakhine boy named Aung Naing. The area was shut down soon after the attacks, preventing help and assistance from reaching the area.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the Burma Army continues to engage in violence without being held accountable to international laws, civilians within Burma continue to be killed or injured without hope of seeing justice done on their behalf.<\/p>\n

\"The
The impact of the Burma Army Strike in Paletwa on April 22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"One
One of the weapons fired by the Burma Army on April 22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"One
One of the victims from the Burma Army attack on April 22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A young boy who was killed in the April 22 attack.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The remains of a victim from the April 22 attack.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IDPs
IDPs getting water inside Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IDPs
IDPs eating together in Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IDP
IDP women cook inside Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"An
An IDP woman in Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IDPs
IDPs eating in Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Kids
Kids eating inside Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A child killed in a Burma Army airstrike in Chin State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A man injured by a Burma Army airstrike in Chin State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Burma
Burma police security guards for the Sami IDP Camp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Burma
Burma Army trucks operating in and around Paletwah and Sami camps.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n