At the same time, the enemy is frantic with fear of a foe he cannot see or hear but who he knows is always there watching.
From this comes victory in special corners of humanity, where good men quietly work.
You may headline the following report, dated March 21, from the organization Free Burma Rangers (freeburmarangers.org):
“Burma Army Launches New Attack, Killing Three People, Displacing 201 Villagers in Mon Township.”
The Free Burma Rangers’ mission is to provide hope, help and love to internally displaced people inside Burma, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams, FBR reports on human rights abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under the oppression of the Burma Army.
FBR provides medical, spiritual and educational resources for IDP communities as they struggle to survive Burmese military attacks.
The account below was covered in a letter from a relief team leader in Mon Township.
Background: Villagers from Maladaw, Yulo and Kamulo were forced from their villages multiple times during 2006, finally being driven from their homes for good when they were attacked by troops in April.
Prior to this attack, the Burma Army demanded that villagers move to a relocation camp in the area of Tha Pyi Nyut. Some villagers moved to this camp while others have either hidden in the jungle close to their village, moved to other temporary hiding sites in areas with less Burma Army activity or have sought refuge at the Thai border.
The letter-writer from Free Burma Rangers begins:
“Burma Army shells IDPs, burns villagers’ rice, conducts forced labor and resupplies camps in the Toungoo District.
“On Feb. 16, the Burma Army attacked Saw Tay Der (Awa-ein) village, and 201 people from Saw Tay Der, Ker Po Der and Playkee villages were forced into hiding during this attack. No villagers were wounded during the attack. However, all villagers fled into hiding. The villagers need assistance in the form of food, medicine and clothing.
Gaining Ground
“The Burma Army’s attacks against civilians have continued throughout the early part of 2007 as the Burma Army attempts to expand its network of roads and camps in northern Karen State.
“While large-scale multi-battalion attacks have not taken place, the Army is now attacking villagers and patrolling areas where it plans to construct new roads and improve pre-existing roads.
Tactical Strikes
“The Army uses these roads to supply its forward camps, to provide a springboard from which they launch attacks against civilians, and to exert greater control over the movement of civilians.
“It was from these roads and camps that the Army launched large-scale attacks throughout 2006, displacing over 25,000 villagers (almost the entire populations of Mon Township, southern Toungoo District and northern Papun District) and murdering more than 76 civilians. More than 80 civilians have been killed since the beginning of 2006.
Three Villagers Killed
“On Feb. 21, Burma Army troops from killed Saw Echo Win Naing from Paw Pi Der Village and Saw San Myint from Htee Htaw Loh. They were killed close to the Shwegyin River. On Feb. 24, troops shot and killed Saw Mah Sha Htoo, 22 years old, a student, and wounded his brother Saw Hser Nay Say. They were returning home from buying rice.
“Villagers are running low on food.
“Because their stores from last year’s crop have been completely depleted, many villagers now must try to purchase rice.
“Constant Burma Army patrols in search of displaced villagers have meant that some villagers are now asking the KNLA to try to purchase rice for them.
Losing Crops
“On Feb. 19, KNLA troops who were returning from purchasing rice for villagers were ambushed by Burma Army troops under Div. 88. Two Burma Army soldiers were killed in the fighting and one was wounded.
“Three villagers’ loads were lost during the skirmish, worth a total of 150,000 kyat.
“The villagers from Saw Tay Der are very worried about the situation. It will soon be time for the villagers to have their farms ready to begin planting next year’s crop.
“According to one villager, ‘Last year we were able to stay through the attacks because of rice we harvested the previous year. But if we are not able to farm this year, we may have to move to an IDP camp. We do not want to move to an IDP camp.’
Forced Labor and Extortion
“On Feb. 28, the Army forced the villages of Paw Pe Der, Aung Chan Tha and Myaung Oo to provide 12 bullock carts as well as for villagers to move supplies for them.
“On March 1, Sgt. Kyaw Nyut Oo from Maladaw Camp forced 30 Maladaw villagers to carry loads from Maladaw village to Saw Tay Der, where they have set up a new camp after they attacked the village on the 16th.
“On the same day, the Army forced 60 villagers from Paw Pe Der, Aung Chan Tha and Myaung Oo villages as well as 100 villagers from Ye Bet to carry supplies from Paw Pe Der village to Paung Zeik (Kwee De Kaw) army camp.
Doing the Dirty Work
“On March 1, Burma Army Cmdr. Tin Soe forced 40 Maladaw villagers to carry loads from Maladaw village to the new Burma Army camp at Saw Tay Der. Villagers are being forced to carry loads everyday to support the construction of this new camp. Supplies being carried include engines, chain-saws and other tools, as well as food.
“The Burma Army will begin the construction of a new road from Maladaw to Saw Tay Der. The construction of the road is largely being carried out by troops from LIB 377, while LIB 376 is in charge of security for the road construction and LIB 375 is in charge of acquiring forced labor to support the construction project.
Capture and Abuse
“On March 3, the Army captured a 19-year-old and tortured him at Thit Chat Zeik village. He had traveled to another village to buy chilies, and he was captured on the way back to his village.
“On March 16, the Burma Army captured a 19-year-old and his 55-year-old father, both from Aung Soe Moe village. At the same time, the Army captured a 30-year-old, also from Aung Soe Moe. All three were taken to the Battalion Headquarters. It is not known why they were captured.
"On March 17, Army Cmdr. Aung Tun Oo ordered the villagers from Tai Pin, Myet Ye, Po Thaung Su, Nye Loud Teh, U Chit Kin, Thit Chat Zeik and Kyaung Bya to stay in their villages. Villagers are worried that if they are not allowed to go to their fields, they will not be able to prepare them for the upcoming planting season. The Burma Army also laid many landmines along the eastern edges of these villages to try to block villager travel into the hills. Relative Information
“Anyone who is found out to have a relative who is a Karen soldier will be punished.
“On March 5, two bulldozers, one gas truck, one military truck and one civilian truck arrived at Kaw Thay Der village. The same day, the Burma Army at Bawgali Gyi demanded 1 bamboo pole from each family living in the village. They then demanded 1000 kyat from each family in order to build a soccer field for the villagers.
“The Burma Army made fake motorcycle licenses for each Bawgali Gyi villager with a motorcycle. They then demanded one gallon of gas from each of these villagers. Four days later, the Burma Army burned down a rice storehouse, which the owner had hidden in the jungle.
“They then captured him. They still have still not released him. His storehouse contained 22 tins of rice.”
Maj. Mark A. Smith, U.S. Army (ret.), served in Vietnam and Cambodia, and he was a Prisoner of War.
