Burma army officer not beheaded by KIO say villagers

A KIA soldier takes position at a frontline near Laiza headquarters in eastern Kachin state.

Residents of Nhka Ga village in Putao district recently told a group of visiting officials from the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) that the Burma army officer reportedly killed by Kachin Independence Army forces on August 29, was not decapitated as has been alleged by the military.

According to the villagers the officer was captured alive near Nhka Ga village on Aug. 29. Shortly after his capture he was shot and killed by his captors from KIA Battalion 7 during a failed escape attempt, the villagers said. When villagers saw his body, bullet wounds were clearly visible on the officer's leg and back. His head however was left intact, the villagers told the KBC officials.

Following the officer's death Burmese military officials issued a statement alleging that he was tortured and then beheaded by troops from KIA battalion 7. During a phone interview with Burmese media the Kachin Independence Organization's chief spokesperson Lah Nan denied the army's claims about the officer's death.

According to military sources in Putao, the deceased army officer was from Infantry Battalion No. 137. Prior to the Kachin conflict breaking out the late officer took part in a military rescue mission to retrieve billionaire Tay Za and his party when the tycoon's helicopter was stranded on Phonekan Razi mountain in western Putao in late February 2011. The army brass is said to be very upset about the officers death, particularly because he had taken part in the rescue of Tay Za, military sources tell the Kachin News Group.

According to members of the KBC delegation who recently visited Nhka Ga village, all the remaining residents of Nhka Ga have been prevented from leaving by the military. The villagers want to flee to IDP camps but remain trapped in their village which is very near to where fighting has been taking place over the past few weeks.  Troops stationed in Nhka Ga appear to be using the villagers as an insurance policy to prevent KIA forces from launching a counterattack on the village.

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