Junta forces villagers to build new army bases

By IMNA

20 Jun 2008 - Cornered by a Mon insurgent group, the Burma Army is taking it out on villagers. The Burmese Military Southeast Command has begun to formulate a new warfare strategy in southern Mon state, Burma after its troops clashed with a Mon insurgent group killing a Burma Army captain. It plans to build new army bases and for that the military tactical commander seized more than 200 acres of land and ordered villagers to pay and build the bases.

Military Tactical Commander Col Kyaw Myint issued an order when he inspected the area after the local Infantry Battalion No.31 Captain Thein Khet Hlaing and his troops were ambushed by Mon insurgents of the Monland Restoration Party (MRP) near Kabyar village, Khawzar sub-township, about 16 miles south of Ye town.

"He ordered setting up seven army bases in six villages along the motor road of Ye-Khawzar. Currently the military regime is building two new bases in our village. One is adjacent to the village and one is an artillery base on a small hill," a Yinye villager told IMNA.

"Our villages have been ordered to pay more because we have to build two bases," he added.

Each family in the six villages has been ordered to provide 20 bamboos, two poles and five roofing leaves to build the new bases. The army started building the new base since June 14.

Villagers in rotation are being forced to build houses for soldiers, fencing the base and cleaning bushes everyday.

Villagers in the area said the military also seized 33 acres of land for each base from the villagers without paying any compensation.

The bases are being set up in Singuu, Ywa Thit, Yinye, Yin Dein, Kabyar, and Hinthar Ywa Thit where Mon insurgents are trying to reinforce its army.

"Although our major Eein Dae was killed in the ambush, we will replace him with a new man. We intend to have more members and expand our movement," the MRP Chairman Col Pan Nyunt said

On June 10, MRP soldiers led by Eein Dae ambushed government troops led by Captain Thein Khet Hlaing. The captain and four soldiers were killed and MRP major Eein Dae and two soldiers died in the firefight.

MRP has been active in the area since 2001 after Col. Pan Nyunt split from the New Mon State Party (NMSP) which signed a cease-fire agreement with the Burmese junta almost 13 years ago.

Before the cease-fire NMSP controlled the area. The Mon community in the area lent support to the NMSP and the Mon insurgent movement.

In order to gain control of the area from the NMSP and Mon insurgents the junta started strategic warfare and launched military operations against the rebels since 1998.

Dozens of people have been killed on both sides and hundreds fled to Mon refuge camps on the Thai-Burma border even though the strongest Mon armed rebel group signed a cease-fire agreement for a political dialogue.