KNU Report ,March 19,1997

[So_Nou@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Human Rights Violations Update   March 19,1997

SLORC's dry season offensive started earlier this month at the northern
region (KNU No.1,2,3 and 5 Brigade areas). The SLORC is using full strength
of Light Infantry Division 77 and battalions under Southern Command
Headquarters and Eastern  Command Headquarters which totalled about 23
battalions, not including the battalions stationed in the areas. Skirmishes
occur everyday through out the areas. Human Rights violations also increase
as the offensive continues.

On March 10, deputy commander of SLORC Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 534
Aung Than arrested 3 villagers in Thaton district area, accused them of
having contact with the Karen resistance group and killed them.  On the same
day he arrested a woman villager, age 30 , and beat her until an arm was
broken. (all names withheld for security) 

On March 11, SLORC Light Infantry Division 77 demanded porters from villages
in Nyaung Lin Bin district area. They demanded 70 porters from each village
and  the villages which  couldn't meet their demand, they  forcibly took
women and children as porters. On March 14, they killed 5 villagers; one man
and four women. On the same day they captured 12 villagers who were panning
gold in the river. A husband and wife in the group managed to escape but the
rest were all killed by the Division 77 troops including their son.

On March 15, SLORC troops of Division 77 entered Paw Say Pu village, Papun
district and set the village on fire. The whole village was completely
burned.

On March 12, KNU No. 7 Brigade troops attacked SLORC Infantry Battalion 28,
Company 1 camp, stationed at Teh Bu village, Paan district. Company commander
Myint Kyi Oo and his company fled from the fighting spot after resisting for
2 hours and 45 minutes. The Karen guerrillas also left the place taking with
them all the captured arms , ammunitions and military materials. After 3
days, the Infantry  Battalion 28 commander Nyunt Hsaung returned with his
troops to the village where the fighting took place. They  forcibly took rice
and household materials from the villagers and went away with 9 carts loaded
with the looted properties.
 
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