Nov 07, 2006

Mon: Empty Houses to Be Destroyed in Southern State


In a drastic step the infantry Battalion (IB) No.31 has ordered villagers to destroy houses whose owners are not in the village in Kawn Ka Me Toa Take.

In a drastic step the infantry Battalion (IB) No.31 has ordered villagers to destroy houses whose owners are not in the village in Kawn Ka Me Toa Take, in Southern Ye Township, Mon State.

In the prevailing political crisis forced labour, torture, killings and rape are common in this area. This is why many people are afraid to live in southern Ye Township. Many people have run away from their home town. Some have gone to Thailand and some have moved to other villages.

“The IB No.31 has inquired whether three house owners in Kawn Ka Me Toa Take have come back during the last three days,” said a source. “If the house owners do not come back, the IB No.31 will destroy their homes,” he added.

The regime burnt a village in Southern Ye Township called Wol Kyoa at the beginning of this year.

Since then, the people who were suspected were killed. Even the head villager and the village’s Buddhist monks have been tortured by troops.

These areas often witness fighting between the regime’s troops and armed groups. It has many insurgent groups since the New Mon State Party (NMSP) made a ceasefire agreement with the military regime in 1995.

The junta is targeting people to fight back insurgent groups. They are known to kidnap civilian to force insurgents to surrender and they have warned civilians not to support armed groups.