Smoke from shells makes KIO troops sick in Shan state

A gas mask for chemical protection was used by KIA soldiers during Ntat Bum war on Myitkyina-Bhamo highway in November 2011.

Last Friday troops from Burma's military fired shells containing an unknown chemical at Kachin Independence Army (KIA) forces in Shan state, an officer with the KIA claims.

Six pro KIA fighters from the Mungshawa Kanawn Mazum (MKM) militia felt nauseous after coming in contact with smoke that accompanied the munition shells that landed near them on Nam Mu Bum mountain. The shells were fired at 7 AM local time by a unit from Infantry Battalion 290 led led by Lt-Col Soe Shwe, a KIA officer based in Shan state told the Kachin News Group.

The Burma army troops fired five 60mm mortar rounds containing the chemical at the KIA forces, the KIA officer said.

The affected KIA troops were treated with traditional Kachin medicine.  “We fed garlic to the soldiers soon after they were affected. The sick soldiers also drank their own urine and ate green tea leaves,” the KIA officer said.

The incident took place at Nam Mu Bum mountain located between Kutkai and Muse on the Mandalay to Muse trade route. The area is under the control of KIA Battalion 9 part of the group's 4th Brigade.  Military reinforcements consisting of an estimated 50 soldiers were recently deployed to the area, according to the KIA officer.

Since the Kachin conflict resumed in June 2011, both KIA troops and Kachin civilians have reported a number of incidents where strange smelling smoke has accompanied munitions fired by government troops. It remains unclear the smoke consists. Most of the people who have come into contact with these types of munitions have suffered symptoms like nausea and vomiting and then recovered in a few days. Earlier this year a government backed commission examining the controversial Monywa copper project found that police dispatched to block anti mine protesters near Letpadaung fired phosphorous shells at peaceful protesters including monks.

Large numbers of government troops are reported to have been dispatched to KIA territory across Kachin and northern Shan state since late August, according to a senior KIA officer based at the group's Laiza headquarters. The latest military deployment is aimed to pressure the KIA and its political wing the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) into accepting Naypyidaw’s nationwide ceasefire plan, the officer said.

Sumlut Gam, head of the KIO's peace talk delegation recently told KNG that his group has been in discussions with government officials about the upcoming nationwide ceasefire conference. The KIO according to Sumlut Gam has yet to agree to a ceasefire and has not yet confirmed its participation at the national ceasefire conference expected to be held in Naypidaw in November.

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