Hundreds fleeing from hot spot township

Human Rights

Hundreds fleeing from hot spot township

Some 500 people have abandoned their homes and fields in Southern Shan State's Laikha township to Thailand following the Burma Army's sweeping crackdown on supporters of the "Interim Shan Government' formed in exile on 25 March, reports King Cobra from the border:

Some 250 people have arrived within the last week and at least another 250 are still on their way to the border, according to Shan relief workers in Fang, 150 km north of Chiangmai. "The average of arrivals until April is about 700", the source whose job is to keep track of Shan refugees coming to the districts of Fang, Chaiprakarn and Mae Ai told S.H.A.N.. "This month, we are expecting more than a thousand, mostly from Laikha."

Laikha, 79 miles (126 km) northeast of Taunggyi, plunged into turmoil following reports that the populace had held rallies in support of the "Interim Shan Government" led by Sao Surkhanpha, 67, son of Sao Shwe Thaike, the first president of the Union of Burma (1948 - 1952) and his declaration of Independence on 17 April.

According to the arrivals, the Burma Army column, made up of troops from Laikha - based Infantry Battalion 64 and Light Infantry Battalion 515, surrounded the village of Wanpang, Wanheng tract, on 4 May and rounded up Rev Tejinda, the village abbot, and other elders. "The temple was razed to the ground before they left with the detainees," said a monk who was among the refugees.

The abbot and several others were then forced to speak at rallies held by the authorities in condemnation of the Interim Shan Government and the resistance in general, first in Laikha on 8 May and later in other townships. Other villagers meanwhile were forced to attend the rallies.

"We were unhappy to hear on our return that supporters of the Shan Government were furious over our participation in the rallies, despite the fact that we had attended them under duress," said a 41-year old source, who had been serving as a village headman before his abrupt departure with his family. "So we decided we had had enough of being the dyke between two buffaloes' (Shan expression meaning being caught in the cross fire) locking horns with each other and left."

So far no reprisals from the pro-Shan government group have been reported except for one incident when a village elder was kicked by a supporter for joining the rallies. "The poor man had to be carried back home on a bullock cart as he was not able to walk anymore," said a witness, who declined to name the perpetrator.

According to border-based Shan Human Rights Foundation, more than 95,000 Shans have arrived in the Fang area alone since 1996, when the Burma Army launched a massive forced relocation campaign that displaced more than 300,000 people in 11 townships. In Laikha alone, more than 40,000 were dislodged of which at least 58 were recorded extrajudicially killed.

Laikha is also where the Shan State Army's 758th Brigade, commanded by Lt-Col Moengzuen, is active. The 758th had, on 25 April, announced its support for the Interim Shan Government. Col Yawdserk, leader of the SSA, is yet to make any public comment on his erstwhile commander's turnabout.