Militia fighter killed during Southern Ye splinter group attack

September 3, 2015

One government-affiliated militia fighter was killed and another injured in an attack by a splinter faction on militia forces. The clash took place in Da Ni Kyar Village, located in the south of Ye Township, Mon State.

On 25 August 2015, fighting broke out at a monastery in Da Ni Kyar Village, as a splinter group led by Nai Mon Chan attacked a local militia force.

Nai Mon Chan, who established his own group relatively recently, previously served as second-in-command to another splinter group led by Nai Bin. Nai Bin’s group were notorious for kidnapping and taxing locals in southern Ye Township, until their surrender in 2012 to Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 31.

The attack took place while five militia fighters slept at their monastery base. According to a monk from nearby Magyi Village, Nai Mon Chan’s splinter group were targeting two members of the militia group who had previously been affiliated with the splinter faction.

Two militia fighters were wounded in the attack, named Nai Dout and Nai Karat. Both were taken for treatment at Ye Town’s military hospital. However, Nai Dout’s serious condition called for his immediate transfer to Moulmein for further treatment, where he died the day afterwards.

On Tuesday Nai Dout’s family gave donations to monks in Taung Pyin Village, Ye Township, in remembrance of his life.

Locals have expressed surprise that, despite the militia group’s government affiliation, the government did not pick up the tab for the wounded militia fighters’ treatment. One Magyi villager commented, “Even though Nai Dout was a member of a government militia, the authorities provided nothing”. Instead, on the orders of a leading monk from Yangon’s Ti La Ban monastery, members of the militia group collected money from residents in and around Da Ni Kyar village to cover the costs of treatment.

In total, 300,000 Kyat was collected in Da Ni Kyar, with other funds coming from Magyi, Mi Htaw Hlar Gyi and Kyone Kanya villages. However, some villagers are alleged to have resisted handing over money, saying that they did not want to give money to support treatment for the militia fighter.

Nai Dout came from Kout Htayan Village, Yebyu Township, and previously served with Major Nai Shoun in the New Mon State Party (NMSP). After experiencing personal conflicts in the NMSP he joined a splinter group led by Nai Bin and Nai Mon Chan, but in 2012 left the group to serve in Nai Lin Oo’s militia force.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News