Burmese army continues systematic attacks against Kachin civilians in its military operations in Northern Shan State. Local sources reported that a young couple was taken from their own home by Burmese soldiers led by Lieutenant Thet Naing of 69th LIR on July 24 at 9 am. Maran Yaw Han (age 24) and Labang Bawk Hkawn (age 18) of Namsu village in Mungkoe Township have just married in last January and Labang Bawk Hkawn is pregnant with her first child. Burmese soldiers accused Yaw Han’s father Sara Naw Hkam, who is a Christian minister, to be a KIO personnel and asked the young couple to bring him to their hands.
Bawk Hkawn, wife of Yaw Han, was released the next day but Yawhan is still in detention. Bawk Hkawn said, “the soldiers asked where my father-in-law Sara Naw Hkam is and told us to look for his gun. When we replied we don’t know Sara Naw Hkam’s whereabouts and his gun, the soldiers arrested us and took us separately. They brought me to a Chinese house and told the Chinese to watch for me and take responsible if I got lost”. Bawk Hkawn was released by Chinese house owners when a local Kachin deacon assured them that they will not be harmed by releasing her on the next day after her detention.
Another fellow villager, Hung Xi, a Chinese national of 56 years old, was also detained and severely beaten by Burmese government soldiers. The soldiers released him after interrogation. He said,” Burmese soldiers asked me how many villagers currently serving in KIA and who gave assistance to KIA. When I couldn’t answer them, they beat me on my head twice and on my face. They also hit me on my chest with their gun butts. After interrogation, they forced me to carry their equipment to Shwi Ai village. When they saw that I couldn’t walk properly anymore because of the pain in my body, they released me. I saw Yaw Han carrying soldiers’ belongings but I couldn’t talk to him.” Yaw Han’s whereabouts are still unknown.
Pangsai is located on the original proposed route of a 16 billion yuan (US$2.5 billion) oil and gas twin pipeline running from Rakhine coast, passing Northern Shan State areas like Lashio, Kutkai and Pangsai and ending at Anning located at about 30 kilometers west of Yunnan capital Kunming. The twin pipeline route was later said to have changed by going through mostly Namtu and Namkham townships. A sizable number of Kachin populations are currently living in townships along pipeline route in Northern Shan State for centuries. Some local Kachin observers said that though Kachins living in Northern Shan State have not opposed construction of the twin pipeline, Burmese army’s current military operations and increased rights violations against local civilians may well be related to area clearing operations for Shwe pipeline project.
