The body of Galau Bawm Yaw who was tortured and killed by Burmese soldiers was found at Yihku village, Pangsai Township in Northern Shan State on July 28. A local villager discovered Bawm Yaw’s body buried near sugarcane field that belonged to a local Chinese family in Yihku village.
Galau Bawm Yaw (age 45) was arrested and detained together with 25 fellow villagers on July 1 after a fierce battle took place between KIA’s 36th Battalion under 4th Brigade and Burmese army’s 109th LIB, 123rd LIR and 45th LIR. Jau Fa Yin, Jau Fa Ning and other 23 villagers were later released on July 4 after being severely beaten and burned with cigarettes for three days by Burmese army soldiers.
Jaufa Yin, one of those being released on July 4, said Galau Bawm Yaw was beaten even more badly and he saw the soldiers took him out of the room as Bawm Yaw became unconscious. Bawm Yaw’s whereabouts was not known since then. Hpaure Hkawn Hpang, wife of Bawm Yaw, who was just 20 days after she gave birth when her husband was arrested and family members were in great distress as they didn’t hear about Bawm Yaw’s whereabouts.
Daily accounts of grave rights abuses have been reported in Kachin and Shan States despite some reforms taking place in central lower Burma under Thein Sein-led quasi-civilian government. Some Kachin local observers voice their concern that international community has largely ignored ongoing violence in Kachinland, in order not to upset reforms taking place in lower Burma and because of economic interests.
Big nations are avoiding pushing too hard on resolving the conflict in Kachin in order not to upset a delicate balance at the centre. They consider it just a local issue, their selfish desire for wealth and power overwhelmed them. Lahtaw Brang Shawng and Galau Bawm Yaw are putting on record how such cases are being ignored by HR commissions here and abroad violating their own mandate.
Such a torture to ethnic civilians are usual practice of Burma military. But international community and human right watch are ignoring most cases to take serious measures against the government. Instead, they give more praise to the government’s superficial reforms. Therefore it is very disappointing.
The UN and international community, global leaders and international business men should know that (1) without ethnic political rights considered, Burma cannot get genuine peace and stability, (2) without peace in ethnic state regions, business cannot be successful. For most natural resources are found in ethnic regions rather than Burmans’ divisions.