Burrmese troops continue to commit crimes in Kachinland

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Dear Friends, Please see the updated information on the continuing Kachin crisis below. Myitkyina, capital of Kachinland A religious leader Mr. Awng Myat, staff of Myitkyina Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) was arrested by Dap Kawng Police on September 14th 2012.  Mr. Awng Myat is the Camp Leader at Jan Mai Kawng Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. The special police branch from the capital Naypyidaw interrogated him for the entire day until late in the evening. Previously, a registered IDP Mr Lahtaw Brang Shawng was arbitrarily arrested from the camp on June 17th 2012 and severely tortured to illicit a confession to having connection with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) while in detention. He was taking refuge at the same camp with his wife and three young children since the war broke out. The Burmese authorities have yet to release Lahtaw Brang Shawng.   Phakant, Western Kachinland The Burmese battalion retreated from a mountain outpost near Seng Ja Bum to Sut Mai Yang village on September 12th 2012. At 15:00 p.m. local time on September 13th 2012, Burmese troops fired small weapons and large artillery into Sut Mai Yang and Maw Wan villages. It was raining and the troops were intoxicated due to excessive drinking the whole day. The battalion commander was stationed at the head of village’s house, while his deputy commander Bo Kalay was stationed in the west of the village. While Bo Kalay was threatening villagers with a hand grenade it exploded in his hand and cost him his and two of his colleagues’ lives. The battalion commander thought it was the KIA firing at his battalion, he then ordered his unit to start firing at the West of the village. After realizing his mistake of firing at each other, the battalion commander felt embarrassed and started to fire small weapons and large artillery in all directions within the village. Coincidently, it was the end of the school day and students including young children had to hide from the Burmese troops. Miss. Ja Seng Jing, a 14 year old 9th standard student was unfortunate, she was hiding in the drainage ditch on the road side where the Burmese troops were passing. The troops, saw her and shot her in the waist from the back. The girl’s father pleaded with the battalion commander to let him take her to the hospital but he refused permission. Instead the troops took the father to the battalion’s camp. Later, once the situation calmed down, the girl’s mother and relative took her to the hospital but she died due to excessive bleeding as they could not remove the bullet in time.   The battalion commander summoned the villagers to the location of the incident where his deputy died by grenade explosion.     The villagers were threatened and forced to carry Bo Kalay’s dead body and two injured soldiers to the battalion’s camp. From Sut Ngai Yang village, the Burmese troop fired into Maw Wan village with large and small weapons. The large ammunition hit Maw Wan Church and Maw Wan High School where five students were injured. Villagers were taken to the battalion’s camp around 18:00 local time to act as human shields during the entire evening before releasing 100 women and children and 50 men were held by the Burmese troops, but later released around 20:00 p.m. local time.   List of dead and injured civilians No Name Age Location Incident Remark 1 Miss. Sharam Ja Seng Jing 14 Sut Ngai Yang Bullet in her waist Deceased 2 Miss. Seng Lu Pan 17 Maw Wan Hit with many fragments from artillery shell Critical condition 3 Miss. La Bu Ja Lu Awn 8 Maw Wan- IDP child Hit with grenade fragments on head and hand Injured [2nd standard student] 4 Mr. La Bu Hkun Seng 31 Maw Wan- IDP Hit with grenade fragments on head and face injured 5 Mr. Galau Hkaw Bawm (aka) Yaku 36 Maw Wan Hit with grenade fragments on his legs, hand and back. Critical- need hospitalization in Myitkyina ASAP 6 Mr.Soe Mo 44 Sut Ngai Yang A bullet hit his arm Injured 7 Mr.Kyaw Thing Lin 27 Maw Wan A bullet hit his leg Injured 8 Mr.Hkaw Sau 35 Maw Wan Hit with grenade fragments on his legs and hands Injured For further information and media please contact us. Sincerely yours, -- ----------- Information & Public Relations Email: