Refuge seekers slain

Refuge seekers slain

A Burmese soldier has admitted that 6 Shans from Mongkerng southern Shan State, including 2 women and 4-month old girl were robbed and shot near the border between Shan State and Chiangmai province, Sarmlaw reports.

The 6 unknown victims were originally from Wansarng village, Hamngai Tract. According to visitors at the weekly 3-day market at Arunothai (Nawng-ook) village, Chiangdao district, they were among thousands of villagers who were forcibly moved into the town of Mongkerng, 118 miles northeast of Taunggyi, in 1997 during the height of the 4-cuts campaign against Shan State Army "South" of Col Yawdserk.

"They had arrived at the Burmese outpost manned by Company 2 from IB 281 just across the border on 29 January," according to a source, whose report concurred with those from two others. Soon after their arrival, they converted their banknotes in Burmese currency into Thai banknotes at a local money-changer, which was seen by some Burmese soldiers.

The next morning they hired a Burmese private to guide them across the border at B. 600 per person. Later in the evening, the soldier told villagers the 6 of them had run into a group of soldiers from the same company who lined them up, searched their belongings and shot them down in cold blood. "They were only about 30 yards away from the boundary line, their safety, when they were killed," the guide was reported to have said.

Among the loot was 2.5 baht of gold (1 baht of gold fetches B. 6,400) and 30-old British coins. Captain Nyein Aung Kyaw, commander of the company, later told his troops that as the six were working for the SSA the killings were justified.