Plain clothes Burmese soldiers rob and assault Kachin people

In the midst of the civil war between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burmese Army since June 9, Kachin civilians are being tormented with robbery and assault by Burmese soldiers, said local people.

Burmese soldiers in plain clothes are robbing travellers, looting money and belongings of the people around the Irrawaddy dam project at Myitsone, 27 miles north of Kachin capital Myitkyina.

“There is no rule of law and the areas are far away from Myitkyina capital of Kachin State. Burmese soldiers are doing whatever they like,” said locals.

Burmese soldiers are not allowing Kachin nationals to cross the bridge between Myitkyina and Tanghpre village (Myitsone) and have told the local people “You Kachins are not worthy of crossing this bridge. You should pass under the bridge, now flooded and muddy.”

A Kachin Baptist Church in Tanghpre village in the Irrawaddy dam site, 27 miles north of Myitkyina. Photo: Kachin News Group

Soldiers said, “You Kachins living around here are families of KIA members.” They threatened and robbed the civilians, said a villager.

In Gwi Htu village Burmese soldiers threatened and drove out old women and men who were unable to flee from the village. Soldiers forced them out of their house accusing them of assisting the KIA.

Soldiers told villagers “We need this place to watch the KIA so everybody get out of this place,” quoted the source.

With the fighting on there is rape, torture and use of Kachin civilians as porters by Burmese troops, local people said.

The Thailand based Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) reported in mid June that 18 women and girls have been raped of whom one woman and three girls were killed after being gang raped by Burmese soldiers. There could be more such cases which have gone unreported.

Currently, there are over 20,000 war refugees from among Kachin people who have fled to China border and urgently need aid according to KIA officials.

In Laiza headquarters of the KIA alone there are over 13,000 refugees staying in six refugee camps and depending on limited support from the KIA with two cans of rice for each refugee per day.

“This is not only human rights abuse but the Burmese Army is also oppressing Kachin people,” said Tsa Ji spokes person of the Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG).