Bi-weekly situation update by the Karenni Civil Society Network, Oct 11–Oct 24, 2021

Summary of SAC human rights violations in Karenni State and Pekhon Township

• Re-arrest of released prisoners

On October 19, 24 prisoners (20 men and 4 women) who had been imprisoned in Loikaw prison under Article 505(a) for protesting against the military dictatorship were released by the SAC. However, two of the men released were immediately re-arrested on new charges.

• Ongoing SAC clearance operations, torching of houses, shelling of civilian areas

During the past two weeks, fighting has spread southwards along the road from Pruso to Bawlake, where the SAC has been sending in troop reinforcements to try and secure this strategic route to southern Karenni State.

On October 11, the house of Ma Nang Pan Sein from the GAD in Pekhon township, who has been involved in the CDM movement, and her husband Ko Lin Marn Tun, an in-charge of the NLD party information department, was vandalized by USDP members, army veterans and members of Pyu Saw Htee around midnight.

From October 9 to October 12, at least five clashes occurred between SAC and combined Karenni troops near Tar Leh village in Pruso township. On October 12, a SAC truck was damaged according to a KNDF statement. During this time, the SAC troops entered Tah Leh village, and burned down and destroyed villagers’ rice barns. They also killed cows and buffalos.

On October 13, at 2 pm, SAC troops shot and shelled indiscriminately into Pruso town, damaging a Catholic church and some houses.

On October 13, at Gone Thar village in Loikaw town, three villagers stepped on a landmine planted by SAC troops and were all injured.

On October 14, SAC torched two houses in Daw Khlent Li village in Demawso township. On the same day, SAC troops carrying out clearance operations in 6-Mile village, Bethle village and Walatwan village in Demawso were targeted by mines laid by KNDF, which killed three SAC troops and injured four. SAC and KNPP troops also clashed between Nam Ku village and Pan Pu village in Pasaung township.

Houses set on fire by SAC in Demawso

Land mine injury in Gone Thar, Loikaw town

On October 19, at 10:30 am, SAC and KNDF troops clashed while SAC troops were on their way to 6-Mile and Bethle villages to carry out an area clearance operation in Demawso township. One SAC soldier was killed.

On October 21, the KA and KNDF launched mine attacks against SAC three times near Tah Leh village in Pruso township. Some military trucks were damaged, with some casualties, according to a KNDF statement.

On October 21, at 8 pm, the KA and KNDF attacked SAC troops which had set up a base behind Demawso police station in the compound of a monastery. Other SAC troops based in Demawso town then fired shells indiscriminately around the town until the next day. Fortunately, there was no damage to property or life.

On October 22, the Pekhon PDF attacked LIB 336 based in Pekhon town, killing five SAC troops and seizing five guns, according to a Pekhon PDF statement.

On October 24, Moebye PDF and KNDF ambushed a convoy of SAC military trucks which were travelling from Loikaw to Pekhon, killing ten SAC troops and injuring several. After this, at 7 am the Moebye-based LIB 422 fired artillery shells into Moebye town, fatally injuring a woman in the head, and injuring six other civilians, including children.

Mae Taw church in Pruso town, damaged by SAC shelling

Children were injured by SAC shelling, Pekhon Township

• Ongoing displacement

Due to the repeated clashes in Tah Leh village in Pruso township from October 9 to October 12, villagers, over 1,000 villagers from eight nearby villages have fled to IDP camps in the jungle.

On October 23, a pregnant woman in an IDP camp in eastern Demawso gave birth prematurely to a dead infant. The woman was suffering from anemia caused by poor nutrition due to ongoing food shortages in the IDP camps.

• Covid situation in Karenni State

Covid cases in Karenni State (from the SAC health ministry):

The apparent drop in new infections does not reflect the overall situation in Karenni State, as figures do not include the cases in IDP camps, where there are increasing reports of Covid infection, and where there is an urgent need for medicine and test kits.

Contact persons:

Khu Ko Reh                Tel: +668 2196 2258

Ruby                           Tel: +666 3184 2980

Website : www.karennicsn.org

Facebook: Karenni Csn

Email: [email protected]

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