Junta employs scorched earth against Shan army

Junta employs scorched earth against Shan army

War

The local people in two eastern townships: Monghpyak and Tachilek, are being made to pay for the presence of Col Yawdserk's Shan State Army troops in the area, according to sources from the border. 

Soon after hostilities broke out between the two sides on 20 November, local army units were dispatched to each village to be billeted with the village temple. Each village also had to be responsible for the troops' provisions. (Curfew in Tachilek, S.H.A.N., 7 December)

On 14 December, Light Infantry Battalion 316 of Talerh, 48 km northeast of Tachilek, issued order to each surrounding village tract to arrange for its provisions. "The village headmen complained it would be extremely difficult for them to track down the battalion's movements so they could prepare their food in time," said a trader from the area. "They therefore issued a new order that each household contribute 2,000 kyat (80 baht) to their daily allowances." 

Reports of confiscation of villagers' possessions are also received. "On 21 November, Pabong and Markyang in Fangmin tract (Tachilek township) were raided," reported a villager. "The excuse was they were looking for hidden weapons. But they took everything valuable they came across. I myself lost 700,000 kyat although no weapon was found." 

"They might put it down as confiscation," he retorted hotly to S.H.A.N.'s question." But everybody knows it's down-and-out robbery." 

The Burmese troops also destroyed paddy found outside the village limits. 

"On 26 November, a patrol from Light Infantry Battalion 316 found us preparing to transport our harvested paddy back to our village," said a villager from Fwehai, West Monglane tract, Tachilek township. "They accused us of planning to send the paddy to the SSA and burned everything down including the farm huts in the field." 

Fighting though sporadic is still being reported as the Army launched a search-and-destroy operation: 

On 18 December, a joint patrol of Hawngleuk-based LIB 359 and Jakuni militia ran into an ambush near Wanmai Akha in Monghai tract, Monghpyak township, 83 km north of Tachilek. 

The 10-minute clash left 6 dead on the Burmese side, according to a militia source. 

So far, on the SSA side, there were at least 2 dead and 6 captured, they said. 

"They took pictures of the 6 fighters and distributed leaflets both in Shan and Burmese, exhorting the SSA to surrender," said a source from Mongkoe tract.