BURMA ARMY KILLED 62 KAREN CIVILIANS IN THREE MONTHS

Burma's Army have killed 62 villagers, tortured 15, raped 6 women and destroyed, burned and extorted villagers' properties - an estimated costing at least 11,453, 700 Kyat - from the beginning of July to September this year in Tenasserim Division, Southern Burma, recorded Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department.

50 males, 12 females Karen villagers were killed by Burma’s Army (knows as the Tatmadaw) troops from Infantry Battalion 285, 101, 280, 543, Light Infantry Battalion 559, 560, 557 and Burma’s Army formed People Militia (Pyi Thu Sit), under the Coastal Region Military Command, headed by Division Commander Major General Thura Thiha Thura Sit Maung. They were shot on sight, some were captured and beaten to death, stabbed to dead, tortured and shot to dead later. One of them among who were tortured and killed, both of his wrist and all his toes were cut off before he was shot to dead. Most killings occurred in Burma’s Army controlled area and in the jungle where many of villagers have fled the Burma’s Army Forced Relocation Program and hiding in the jungle. The Burma Army accused them of collaborating with the Karen revolution movement and recognized them as enemies. [Karen revolution movement that gives their name Karen National Union is the major ethnic group, which fight against Burma government since 1949, demanded the ethnic equal rights and freedom.]

These Burma’s Army troops tortured 11 males, 4 females, accused them of supporting Karen revolution movement in the SPDC controlled area and in defined gray area-the area that neither full control of any group, neither by the Burma’s Army nor Karen revolution troops. They were beaten, covered plastic on their head, stabbed with bayonet, been keep in the rain and under sun for a long period, kicked, struck, and poured hot chili water on the face.

Burma Army's troop from IB 280 and 101 raped four Karen women and two Burmese women. Except the Burmese women, all Karen women were gang raped and shot dead afterward, one of them was a 9 year old girl.

Burma's Army has searched and destroyed the villagers hiding in the jungle paddy fields, huts, properties, and extorted money from villagers in relocation sites, costing at least 11,453,700.00 Kyat, approximately.

Most of the human rights abuses in the area where was not heavily guarded by Burmese Army troops are recorded and documented. Yadana gas pipeline area in northern and southern islands group has rarely contacted when heavily guarded and since in deeper Burma’s Army controlled.

Now, Committee for Karen Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP) has documented 262 Karen villages existed in Tenasserim Division. Burmese Army forced relocation program and military offensives has destroyed at least 128 Karen villages. At least 15995 Karen villagers displaced in the jungle, 63548 displaced in relocation sites, 12556 are in refugee camps in Thailand, and illegally migrated to Thailand after 1997.

In 1997, Burma Army has launched a major offensive against the Karen National Union, Mergu-Tavoy District (Tenasserim Division) and captured the District HQ Meithame Kee, which located on Thai-Burma Border, in short time. Most annalists found that the objective of this offensive was to secure the Yanana gas pipeline, and that was also the first agreement signed between TOTAL (a French oil company) and SLORC (Burma Military government renamed themselves, now SPDC) in July 1992 and successfully explored gas and later to transport the gas to Thailand.

The human rights abuses are worsen since the increased deployment of Battalions and one Military Command in 1996. More battalions were sent to the Yadana gas pipeline area. Now there were 50 Burma’s Army Battalions in Tenasserim Division.

The Burma Army suppression of Karen revolution in this area and their main target is to control the whole Karen population. Even they occupied the District HQ, the Karen revolution movement is still actively alive.

In order to bring the whole Karen population under their control, the SPDC troops have forcibly relocated all the Karen villages in their control area. They search and destroy paddy fields and everything from hiding villagers so that they think the villagers could not give any thing (help) to Karen soldiers. By operating both major in the villages and in the jungle, Burma’s Army defined free fire zone or black zone. Villages in relocation site have to pay money in various forms demanded by the troops, and forced laborers were often accused of having contact with Karen revolution movement and been killed.