Breaking News!: Karenni State: Burma Army attacking villagers in hiding

Karenni State:In southern Karenni State the Burma Army is trying to terrorize the population into submission by attacking those in hiding, capturing and forcing villagers to act as guides and porters, laying landmines between villages and extorting property from villagers at will.



Burma Army landmines (M14 and their copies of M14 landmines) found in January 2009. These landmines are used to terrify villagers into areas under Burma Army control.
On 7 January, Burma Army troops laid six landmines between Bu Koh and Gay Loe villages in southern Karenni State. This tactic, an attempt to scare villagers into Burma Army control and cease all support for the Karenni resistance, was part of a coordinated action by LIBs 430, 428, 337 and IB 135 between 31 December, 2008, and 10 January, 2009. Just prior to this action, in early December, Burma Army soldiers from LIB 337 captured the pastor of Pa Hoe village and two boys from Ka Waw Soe village. They forced them to guide the soldiers during an attack and were later released. During these sweeps for displaced communities and resistance soldiers in January, the Burma Army also laid numerous landmines, and forced villagers to provide food for the troops. In one case, on 6 January, every family from Bu Koh village was forced to give 10 cans of rice to the Burma Army soldiers. The Burma Army remains active in this area.

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