Villagers caught between Burmese Army and Mon rebel group in Yebyu Township

April 3, 2009

HURFOM, Yebyu Township:
The Burmese military has been preventing Mon villagers in Kalein Aung Sub-Township, Yebyu Township from leaving their villages to work on their farms due to increased activity by the armed Mon rebel group, Chan Dein. This is causing immense difficulties for the villagers as they are effectively being stopped from earning their livelihoods.

Previously Chan Dein had been active around Ye Township but, when the Burmese military launched an offensive in the area earlier this year, the rebel group moved operations to Kalein Aung Sub-Township. Now Burmese Battalion No. 282 is refusing to allow residents outside their villages in an effort to prevent communication between them and the rebels.

A fifty year old resident of Kyauk Tha Lin village said, “We’re not allowed to cross the Tavoy Stream near the village or the main road behind. We can go the farms that are very close by but only in the daytime – we’re not allowed to sleep there. If someone did sleep on their farm and got shot by the military then the soldiers could say it was the person’s own fault and wouldn’t take responsibility.”

Most villagers do not want to continue living in the area due to the security situation but many have little choice because of their financial circumstances and dependency on small scale farming. Even those who are slightly better off and have land to sell are facing difficulties because few people want to buy land in such an insecure area despite land owners offering low prices.

“I’ve been trying to sell my land since Chan Dein moved into the area because I don’t want to stay here,” says a 53 year old man from Kyauk Tha Lin village. “If I sell it I’ll buy a house and open a shop in Ye Township.”

Landless daily workers, as well as many who have abandoned their land, have already moved to safer areas like those under the control of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) such as Tavoy District administration area, Thae Phyu Chaung and Ye Chaung Pya. Others have moved to villages such as Kaloh and Hangan in Ye Township, Mon State.

According to Nai Ba Shwe, 40, a member of Chan Dein,”We know about the abuse suffered by the Mon people here and we’re sympathetic. The Burmese military have beaten, killed, tortured and burnt the houses of those they suspect of communicating with us. We know if we surrender to them then the oppression will lessen for these people but we are fighting for all Mon and we will continue until all of our people are liberated from the Burmese army’s torture.”

Chan Dein was formed after members of the NMSP broke away from the party when it agreed the ceasefire with the SPDC in 1995. The rebels vowed to continue the fight and since then the relationship between the two groups has been difficult. Chan Dein has assassinated some members of the NMSP although these have been put down to personal issues.

The rebel group has only a small force in contrast to the larger and better armed NMSP and tends to avoid any NMSP columns they encounter, retreating to Tenasserim Division where the NMSP cannot follow under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. Chan Dein also has a separate non-aggression pact with the Karen National Union (KNU) and its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News