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Villagers forced to live in hiding after 2 villages burned

HURFOM: In a recent raid, unidentified soldiers from a Burmese army column patrolling in Pegu Division, Burma, set fire to 2 villages in Nyaung Lay Bin district.  The sweeping destruction has driven residents into hiding in remote and inaccessible areas, further threatening their quality of life.

After entering the Karen villages of Kadeemudaw and Heetoe Chaungwa on February 7^th, Burmese soldiers from the column began torching homes. Residents have reported that it was unclear why their village had been targeted by the column, though a villager commented that they are often accused by Burmese soldiers of supporting the Karen National Union (KNU). Between the two villages, more than 74 households were destroyed forcing over 200 villagers to flee and take refuge in the jungle.

The two villages are located approximately 25 miles from the KNU’ Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade No. 3. The area is subject to intense militarization, and the KNU continues its insurgent campaign against the Burmese army, after 60 years of fighting. These villages have been burnt down before, one in 2004 and the other in 2006

Since the raising of the 2 villages, residents who fled their homes told a HURFOM field reporter that, they have faced food and medical problems due to the inaccessibility of their position. They have not been able to receive help from other organization, specifically the Thai Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) because of their distance from the border, and report being short on food and basic household materials such pots or any cooking materials.

According to one of the fugitive villagers, U Mu Tee, a 60 year old Kadeemudaw villager, Kyauk Kyi Township the refugee households also report not having regular household items, such as blankets or mosquito nets. Villagers have also reported problems with contracting malaria, suffering from diarrhea other illnesses.

He explains, “I just know they were Burmese soldier; I don’t know their number and how many of them there are. Villagers got news of the Burmese soldiers entering in Nyaung Lay Bin District on February 5^th, but they didn’t enter my villager until February 7^th. When the soldiers arrived in the village they started to burn homes and villagers fled and got nothing from their houses”

While theses less accessible fugitive settlements allow for villagers to begin rebuilding their lives to make a living, the homes are less permanent, made out bamboo and thatch, as compared larger better built wood homes.

As compared to other abuses that only disrupt village life with taxes increased work, or physical torture, the raising of villages is a decisive method of depopulating a region.  Burmese army sources first began practicing its ‘4 cuts’ policy in the 1970’s against the then insurgent groups of the in eastern Burma, by specifically targeting civilian communities.  The policy severely undercut the insurgent capacity to survive, and embodied sever human rights violations and repression.

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