Like those of Mone region, others from rural areas where KNU insurgents are active subject to atrocities Government cleared up the areas for security purpose and protecting lives and property of the people

YANGON, 14 May — Medical Superintendent Dr Maung Maung Khin of Mone Station Hospital clarified sabotage acts of KNU to harm the lives of the people by planting land mines in busy places and disable the people, and medical treatments being provided by the Government, to local and foreign journalists on their arrival at Mone region of Kyaukkyi Township in Bago Division.

The local people individually recounted their troubles caused by atrocities and terrorist acts such as massacres, killing, threatening, torching, destruction of oxen and carts, and planting of mines by KNUs, and difficulties to carry out their works in the fields. They replied to the questions of the journalists. Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan gave a supplementary clarification.

The following is the clarification, replies and answers and supplementary clarification.

Dr Maung Maung Khin (Medical Superintendent of Mone Station Hospital): I have been discharging duties at Mone Station Hospital for 11 months only from June 2005 to date. During the period of my term, common complaints at the hospital were patients of malaria, maternity, snake bite and explosions of land mine. In compiling the data on patients of land mine explosions for three years, there were 16 patients in 2004, 14 in 2005 and 18 in 2006 from January to date. Hence, the patient numbers this year is at the highest level. In 2005, one patient lost life due to mine explosion. At present, a total of 15 patients are being treated at the hospital. Of them, nine were patients of mine explosions. One of then was warded at the hospital at 9.15 am today. He was resuscitated before the surgical operation. In studying the mine blasts in Mone region from 1980 to 2006, there was no person who lost life in mine blasts; and there were no person who lost big toe, thumb and hand hit in the explosions. In collecting data of those who lost one leg and both legs in 26 years up to 2006, a total of 81 disabled persons are residing in the villages.

With the assistance of International Red Cross Societies, they were provided with artificial limbs. So far, the International Red Cross Societies had provided artificial limbs for 52 patients in addition to two patients with wheel-chairs. The remaining three patients do not fit the artificial limbs of their own accord. Other patients should not be fitted with artificial limbs because of their present condition. Though the patients in 2006 are ready to be fitted with artificial limbs, they cannot.

U Myat Kyaw (Mwaydaw Village): I have been residing in Mwaydaw Village about four years. In 2005-06, all the people in eastern part of Mone region, Mwaydaw region and hill region were in trouble. In January and February this year, we could not sleep at home,but had to hide at the hilly region. We cannot leave the region for various reasons. In 2005-06, people lost their lives in mine blasts and acts of insurgents. I did not know where they discriminate as Myanmar Buddhist or not. We felt sadness that the terrorists arrested Buddhist monks to carry bucket of alcohol and beat them. It was a sacrilege. They took cattle. And, we were subject to their atrocities.

U Tun Naing (Mone): I live in Ward 4 of Mone. Local people suffered the evil consequences of mine blasts and battles every year. I myself was arrested by KNU on 19 January 2006 while going fishing, southeast of Mone region. On 16 February, we were released. They made us work there. They supplied us food with salt and chillies. We experienced the worst troubles committed by KNU. People in our region had to suffered most. In conclusion, he requested the guests on the occasion to give a helping hand to the people of the region.

U Htay (Kyaungpya Village): I am a villager of Kyaungpya Village, Mepauk Village-tract of Kyaukkyi Township. At 1 am on 1 May 2005, we heard gunfire from Mwaydaw. Later, we heard gunfire again at southern part of Kyaungpya. We together with offspring fled to the safety. The insurgents destroyed the village and opened fire. After that, they torched Kyaungpya Village. They took our property and set the house on fire. In the incident, Du Al Moe, a Kayin older woman, from Kyaungpya was shot along with two cows.

We had to hide at a distance from a place where our houses were set on fire and when we returned to the village, all the houses were destroyed. As a result, we were in trouble and there was no house to live in and no rice to eat up to now and so, we had to rely on our relatives. We did not get back anything and had to run with the only clothes on body. Up to now, we could not settle as before. Altogether 19 houses were set on fire. That was all I would like to recall.

U Myint Kyaw (Kyaungpya Village): My name is Ko Myint Kyaw and I am from Kyaungpya village, Mepote village tract in Kyaukkyi Township, I would like to say about the matter on setting fire to 22 houses and the two-storey monastery in Mwedaw village and the death of two people in the fire. At the night of 30 April 2005, villagers including me went to the monastery to watch football match through satellite and came back at 1 am on 1 May. At that time, KNU insurgents opened fire at the monastery. A young man was shot dead and a villager was arrested. At the same time, 22 houses were set on fire. The one killed was Maung Kyaw of Zayagyi Village who came to the village for marketing and the one arrested was Japlo from Phyu. The following morning he was found dead after being tied with ropes near Yepyin Creek of Mwedaw Village. Moreover, his neck was stabbed repeatedly. That was why, setting the houses on fire, killing and torture were common in the area. Besides, the monastery was set on fire and we felt sorry for that. Thus, I presented it to the officials, journalists and those present.

I do not wish to experience those sufferings any longer. We are leading hand-to-mouth life and we dare not go out far and there were also four mine victims. During these five years while I was in Mwedaw village, I had to send 18 patients to hospitals in Kyaukkyi and Mone after helping them with the first aid. From my point of view, I concluded presenting to look after us as much as possible.

U Maung Chit (Khongyi Village): I would like to say the previous incident. My name is Maung Chit and I live in Khongyi village, Taungle Daine village tract, Mone region, Kyaukgyi Township. On 18 April, I went to the jungle with 5 carts for collecting firewood. On the way, I came across 5 KNU insurgents and they asked us to stop.

Later, they asked some questions and said to keep on going and they threatened that they would kill if we did not listen to them. Then, I drove away after taking advice from the young men of the front carts. At last, we left carts and ran away from KNU insurgents. Later, when we returned to our carts, we met a Kayin lady on the way and she said that all carts were chopped off and set on fire and the other one came out pulling a cow. When we got to our carts, we put out fire with the water from water canteens. Next, though we tried to look for our carts, we found nothing and returned to Kawtpyin village. Totalling 16 cows were carried and that was all I would like to say.
U Wai Phyo of Weekly Eleven News Journal: I have learned that many people in Mone region were hit by land mines. Were all the mines planted by KNU members or not?
U Khin Thein (Chairman, Mone village-tract): As far as I know, in the region, there were no mines planted by the Tatmadaw and they were planted by only KNU insurgents.

U Wai Phyo: How did you know exactly that the mines were planted by KNU?

U Khin Thein: Because we found bamboo mines, bottle mines and fragments of glass bottles in the hospital and that proves the acts of KNU.

U Myat Soe (Myo Myanmar Journal): In the region there are more and more cases of bomb explosions and local people are facing the danger of bomb explosions. So, we would like to know how the local people are living in fear? Is there anyone from the region who can explain to us?

U Ohn Kyaing of Mone village-tract: I’ll explain how atrocities of KNU affect socioeconomic life of local people. A boy of Ward-4 in Mone is now undergoing treatment at Mone Station Hospital after he had been hit by a mine as he was out of the village in search of some greens. Although some local people are well off, some have to live from hand to mouth. So, you all, journalists, can know the present situation in which the local people have to live in fear of KNU insurgents. It was the spine-chilling incident that happened within only one mile from the village. What’s more, they (KNU insurgents) threw a hand grenade into the compound of Malar Myaing Monastery in Mone village-tract on the night of 19-3-2006 after a noviatiation ceremony had been held. It also coincided with the time when the matriculation examination was taking place in the village BEHS. Moreover, those insurgents are in the habit of grabbing the cattle of local people while collecting firewood and greens in the jungle. Sometimes, the people had to leave their cattle behind in order to run for their lives. KNU’s land mines are indeed a threat to the local people. Now the people dare not go into the jungle for fear of land mines although the rainy season is setting in. Besides, according to nature of their work, they will have to get out of the village for their farm work. But they dare not.

Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan, Minister for Information: To be honest, I believe you all have realized the real situation because the village people have explained how they had to suffer because of KNU’s atrocities. Like those of this Mone region, others from rural areas where KNU insurgents are active are now suffering a lot. We took the journalists to Mone region to let them know the actual facts as there is easier transport. Rural people in nearby areas in Bago and Toungoo regions as well as those in Phapun and Thandaung witness these experiences like the ones in Mone region. The government protects those people as much as it can. We Tatmadaw members have no position to protect them as the region is very wide and there are mountain and forest barriers. The Tatmadaw launched offensive in order to protect the rural people in those regions beginning January 2006. The government combed the areas for security purpose and protected lives and property of the people. It is true that people in the adjacent areas are suffering atrocities of KNU.