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Entire Chin village flees as soldiers ransack houses, kill livestock and pets

August 31, 2021/in News

Junta troops also destroyed furniture and religious books at the local church in Taal The entire population of a village in Chin State has fled after junta soldiers ransacked homes, killed animals, and destroyed valuables during two separate raids in July and August, locals told Myanmar Now. About 90 soldiers entered Taal, which is about 12 miles […]

Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar : Post-Coup (August 23-29) 2021

August 30, 2021/in HR Situation

Entire Chin village flees as soldiers ransack houses, kill livestock and pets

August 31, 2021/in News

Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar : Post-Coup (August 23-29) 2021

August 30, 2021/in HR Situation

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Entire Chin village flees as soldiers ransack houses, kill livestock and pets

August 31, 2021/in News

Junta troops also destroyed furniture and religious books at the local church in Taal

The entire population of a village in Chin State has fled after junta soldiers ransacked homes, killed animals, and destroyed valuables during two separate raids in July and August, locals told Myanmar Now.

About 90 soldiers entered Taal, which is about 12 miles from the town of Falam, on July 20. They stole or destroyed valuables in 21 of the village’s 36 houses and tossed people’s belongings, including religious books, out of windows and onto floors.

Taal’s population of around 160 people fled and hid in the surrounding forests and hills and returned later when the troops had left.

They were among around 800 in Falam Township who fled from four villages that day after fighting broke out between junta soldiers and the Chin National Defence Force.

In a second raid on August 9, about 150 junta troops entered Taal and ransacked the remaining houses. A priest from Taal told Myanmar Now that soldiers beat two villagers, destroyed more property, and killed pets and livestock during the second raid.

“When they came, all the villagers fled into the mountains and forests. They entered the village, ransacked the houses and killed all the poultry birds and pigs,” he said.

Sui Cung, 43, and Peter Van Thawng Hu, 22, were beaten by soldiers while they were on their way back to the village to retrieve some of their belongings.

“The injuries were not serious,” said the priest. “They kicked the villagers. Their eyes became red then they were released by the soldiers.”

The soldiers then spent five days in the largely Christian village, during which time they also ransacked the local church, destroying or damaging furniture and religious texts.

Taal’s residents have since stayed in hiding, with many sheltering in Falam. Some are suffering with Covid-19 symptoms.

“There are no soldiers in the village now but the houses and belongings were damaged and destroyed, so the villagers fled to Falam instead of going back,” said the priest, who is also taking shelter in Falam.

The Institute of Chin Affairs, a rights group, said soldiers had violated the Geneva Convention by destroying civilian property and stationing themselves in religious buildings and schools.

Villagers lost 380 chickens and eight pigs, as well as furniture, household appliances, and blankets, the institute said in a statement. The total losses were valued at almost 30m kyat, it added.

A junta spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

There have also been clashes recently between the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) and junta troops in Mindat, which is adjacent to Falam.

Myanmar Now News

Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar : Post-Coup (August 23-29) 2021

August 30, 2021/in HR Situation

In the seven months which have passed since the junta seized power in an attempted and unlawful coup, the situation of human rights has continued to decline. Activists and journalists have been oppressed through violent tactics and arbitrary arrest. With over 1000 civilians killed by the junta’s murderous crackdowns, the military indeed has blood on their hands. Despite the harrowing number of civilian lives lost in conflict and while participating in anti-coup activities, the Myanmar junta has plans to deploy even more troops to ethnic areas including Karen, Kachin and Kayah States. The fighting will have devastating impacts on displaced communities who have already been forced to flee from their homelands routinely. According to the most recent humanitarian snapshot by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are 189,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar as of 16 August, due to armed conflict and unrest since the coup.

Amid the turmoil which continues to embody the state’s social and political space, the junta maintains their unjust rule is legal. Leaders of the National League for Democracy, including State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, remain in custody of the junta and are being denied access to their lawyers, with countless court dates postponed. Meanwhile, the same old tactics are ongoing when for example, a raid by the junta in Yangon resulted in over 30 young people being detained.

In a concerted effort by civil society to show solidarity in marking the four year anniversary of the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, 43 Myanmar organizations expressed their commitment to urging the full restoration of Rohingya rights. Pressure must remain on the international community to pursue legal courses of action against the junta through various international referral pathways. ND-Burma Coordinator, Ko Han Gyi, remarked: “The genocide committed against the Rohingya four years ago is consistent with the systemic and brutal violence that is a hallmark of the Myanmar military. The National Unity Government acknowledged the crimes against the Rohingya by using a statement expressing sadness at the ‘horrendous violence, gross human rights violations and massive displacement that the Rohingya people have suffered…’

Though the violence appears to be never-ending, Myanmar soldiers are defecting. At least 2000 soldiers and police have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement and related Spring Revolution activities. Police in Kayah State have also moved to strike with hundreds of officers. The Karenni State Police has over 300 who’ve defected from the junta’s Ministry of Home Affairs, with a spokesperson remarking: “As a long term vision, we aim to make it a model police force for others in the country.”

Conflict in Ethnic Areas

KACHIN STATE
The Internet has been cut off in Hpakant Township, Kachin State by the Myanmar junta. The blocking of online services was met with confusion from locals who weren’t sure why it was shut off, or when it would resume. Civilians suspected that it was a sign of increasing military operations to come as an increased presence of soldiers has sparked fears in Kachin communities.

KAYAH STATE
According to the Karenni Civil Society Network (KCSN), there are 120,449 internally displaced persons who have been impacted by the attacks by the Myanmar junta and the Karenni Army. Within that number, half (55,265) are in Demawso Township. Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force specifically has displaced nearly 70% of Demawso’s 80,000 residents.

The KCSN Assistant Coordinator remarked: “As the Burma Army continues to conduct military operations in Karenni State, IDPs face many hardships. Some have to keep moving from place to place to escape the offensives.”

KAREN STATE
The Myanmar junta is increasing operations in Karen State. On 25 August, civilians became worried when the military aerially surveilled Hpapun District. A more robust set of militarized activities combined of junta troops and Border Guard Forces could displace hundreds more.

Fighting is spreading to various brigades controlled by the Karen National Liberation Army. A senior officer remarked that coup leaders are responding to a series of successful attacks by the People’s Defense Forces. The set retaliations by the junta will attempt to ‘wipeout’ PDFs in 6th and 7th Brigades. Calls for humanitarian aid in civilian areas are being amplified as military operations expect to displace more civilians.

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Spring Revolution

Civil Society Position Paper on ASEAN’s Goal of a Myanmar-Owned and -Led SolutionDecember 18, 2024 - 12:11 pm
Recommendations to ASEAN and Its Member States (1) Move beyond the 5PC to achieve a Myanmar people-led and people-centered solution to the crisis in Myanmar. ASEAN’s “Myanmar-owned and -led” approach must be backed by genuine political will that aligns with and supports the collective aspirations of the people of Myanmar. (2) Cease all pressure on […]
The Airstrikes after the journey to the China of the Junta Military LeaderDecember 10, 2024 - 1:28 pm
Operation 1027 was a coordinated military attack against the junta on October 27th, 2023. It was carried out by the Northern Brotherhood, which includes the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army. Several months later, the Three Brotherhood Alliance held three meetings to negotiate with China on January 11 […]
Human Rights Situation weekly update (September 15 to 21, 2024)September 27, 2024 - 8:26 am
Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from Sep 15 to 21, 2024 Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Shan State, Chin State, Rakhine State, and Kachin State from September 15th to 21st. The Military Junta committed arresting, occupying the properties, threatening by using power, and […]

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ND Burma

ND-Burma formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process. The 13 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to advocate for justice for victims. ND-Burma trains local organizations in human rights documentation; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, a secure open-source software; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns.

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