Villager: Army kills, blames rebels

Villager: Army kills, blames rebels

Human Rights / War

A village headman fleeing from the southern Shan State township of Mongnai told S.H.A.N. he was unable to remain in his home village after he had falsely testified against the Shan rebels for the killings of 2 timber workers committed by the Burmese army. 

Zingta, 35, headman of Koonkawk Village, Koonmong Tract, Kengtawng Sub-township of Mongnai, said he and other Shan headman were summoned by the local military to sign their names to a statement accusing the Shan State Army of Col Yawdserk of massacring 12 workers while wounding 1 at a timber extraction site on 18 January. "I couldn't stay afterwards," he said. "I was afraid the rebels, upon hearing what we've done, might retaliate. So I tried to resign and they didn't allow me too. Again, I pretended to divorce my wife and leave home and the local Burmese army began to get suspicious. Fearing the worst, I finally decided to come to Thailand." 

Zingta has a wife and two children, one boy and one girl. 

According to the New Light of Myanmar, 23 January 2003, 8 Karen mahouts and 5 other workers employed by Tun Myat Aung Co. Ltd., were fired upon by "ten SURA (junta name for the SSA) insurgents" after the company failed to give "extortion money". 

Zingta, supported by 9 other villagers who came from the same area, said: "Actually, according to the three who escaped, one with a wounded arm, to Koonmong Village, the so-called insurgents were Burmese troops dressed in SSA uniforms." 

The three said the troops were recognized by them as a "commando unit" from Kholam, Namzang Township, 52 miles northwest of Kengtawng. "In fact, they were from the same unit that killed 10 lent-observers on the Full Moon of the 10th Lunar Month (21 September 2002)", he said. "The Burmese troops opened fire, when they found out that their cover had been blown." 

Military authorities later instructed village elders and headmen to let it be known that the culprits were the SURA insurgents. "Anyone found out to have given a different story other than this will be punished and their property taken away," one Burmese officer was quoted as telling them. 

The workers were hired by Sai Hla Pe, a native of Kengtawng, who now lives in Namzang. 

Apart from the Burmese army, the SSA "South" of Yawdserk shares the area with the SSA "North"'s 7th Brigade, stationed at Kali Village of Kunhing Township, 47 miles northeast of Kengtawng. Reports of the local Burmese army units wearing Shan uniforms have been afloat for sometime. Both the SSA 'North' and 'South' use the same insignias. "The Burmese may be trying to look into the possibility of some secret understanding between the two," said one observer. 

The SSA 'North' enjoys a ceasefire pact with Rangoon while the SSA 'South' does not.