As another sign of grave human rights violations against indigenous people of the land, Burmese Army soldiers of 390th Light Infantry Regiment pounded Npawn village with heavy artillery on March 28, 2012. After shelling the village from a distance, the soldiers entered the village and torched 4 houses.
Local sources reported that Burmese Army soldiers set fire to 7 houses at Namsan-yang village on March 25, 2012. One local guest house and 7 houses were burned to ashes. Soldiers from 388th Light Infantry Regiment reportedly committed this crime against civilians.
This is for the second time Namsan-yang village is ransacked and torched. In last October, Burmese Army soldiers of 121st Light Infantry Battalion and 348th Light Infantry Regiment who were stationed in Namsan-yang Kachin Baptist Church and Buddhist Monastery ransacked, robbed and burned shops and tortured villagers in Nansan-yang. Two local residents, U Htay Maung and U Tin Win, were tortured and killed by Burmese soldiers. U Tin Win was tied before he was burned alive. Frontline sources reported Burmese government’s 121st Light Infantry Battalion and 348th Light Infantry Regiment later retrieved from Namsan-yang village on Oct 19, 2011.
Armed conflict enters 9 months with no signs of abating despite several rounds of talks between Kachin and Burmese governments. A battle took place between KIA’s 5th Brigade and Burmese Army’s 388th LIR at Edin village on March 28 morning for 30 minutes.
Skirmishes continue between Kachin and Burmese Army in other parts of KIA’s 5th Brigade areas. Heavy fighting was reported on Wednesday, March 27 in battles at Hka La and Gang Dau. The exact number is not known for casualties on both sides.
KIO has repeatedly demanded Burmese government to withdraw its troops from KIO’s territories if government’s peace initiatives are sincere and genuine. Almost all recent battles took place in KIO’s recognized territories during ceasefire period from 1994-2011.
