Civilian driver shot dead, farmer injured by SAC and PNO troops near Tigyit coal mine in Pinlaung township, southern Shan State
Update by the Shan Human Rights Foundation
January 18, 2023
Civilian driver shot dead, farmer injured by SAC and PNO troops near Tigyit coal mine in Pinlaung township, southern Shan State
SAC and PNO militia troops shot and killed a civilian driver and injured a farmer near the Tigyit coal mine in Pinlaung township, southern Shan State, on January 7, 2023.
On January 3, there was fighting between SAC troops and local PDF forces near Long Karn village tract, west of Samka Lake, Nyaungshwe township, southern Shan State.
On January 7, about 50 regime troops, including local PNO militia, set up a checkpoint on the main Aung Pan-Tigyit-Pinlaung road, giving the reason that the PDF were active in that area.
That evening at about 8 pm, the regime forces began indiscriminately firing their weapons, including artillery, for about 30 minutes towards Payaphyu village, about three miles from Tigyit village.
One of the bullets hit a 40-year-old farmer returning home to Nan Sawng village after irrigating his farmland east of the village. Sai Aye (not his real name) was hit and injured in his leg. SAC soldiers took him to Pinlaung hospital for treatment.
Soon afterwards, at around 9 pm, Khun Tun (not his real name) a 35-year-old villager from Kin Moon Chong village, Muay Pin village tract, Pinlaung township, was driving his car along the Aung Pan-Tigyit-Pinlaung road. He was driving fast and braked suddenly to stop at the newly erected SAC checkpoint. The troops then opened fire at his car, hitting him in the stomach and killing him instantly. This was witnessed by a local villager who had been forced by the PNO to guide their troops.
His corpse was not transferred to his family, but was cremated by the troops at 2 pm on January 8 at Pinlaung cemetery.
The SAC and PNO militia troops are continuing to block the Aung Pan-Tigyit-Pinlaung road. The SAC troops are from Kalaw-based LIB 7 and Tigyit-based LIB 511 and LIB 512.
Contact
Sai Hor Hseng +66: 94-728-6696 (Shan, English)
Ying Leng Harn +66: 62 569 5220 (Burmese)
