Type of Incident

Villagers injured and killed by shelling

Date of Incident(s)

July 2023

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

A--- village and B--- village, P’Law area, Ler Muh Lah township, Mergui-Tavoy district

Victim Information

Name

Naw[2] H---

Saw[3] I---

Maung[4] J---

U[5] K---

Age

70

7

20

40

Sex

Female

Male

Male

Male

Nationality

Karen

Karen

Bamar

Bamar

Marital status

Married

-

Married

Married

Occupation

Farming

-

Farming

Farming

Religion

Christian

Christian

Buddhist

Buddhist

Position

Villager

Student

Villager

Villager

Village

A--- village

A--- village

B--- village

B--- village

Perpetrator Information (Armed Actors)

Name(s)           

Rank

Unit

Base

Commander’s Name

SAC[6] soldiers

Unknown

LIB[7] #285

P’Law Town

Unknown

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

A KHRG field researcher received the information from local leaders and victims’ families.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The information is verified by the victims, their families and local villagers who witnessed the situation.

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened. Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please use the space prepared below, and create an attachment if needed.

On July 2nd 2023, SAC Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #285 based in P’Law Town shelled four rounds of mortars into A--- village, P’Law area, Ler Muh Lah Township, Mergui-Tavoy District. Two mortars fell on the football ground, and the other fell next to a villager’s house. The exploded shrapnel injured two villagers in the house: Naw H---, 70 years old, and Saw I--, 7 years old. Naw H--- was extensively injured on her thigh and Saw I--- was injured on his leg. According to a villager, Naw H--- almost died, as she was losing a lot of blood after being injured. These two villagers were sent to a hospital in T--- village, P’Law area, Ler Muh Lah Township. T--- village hospital is operated by Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)[8] and Civil Disobedient Movement (CDM)[9] members. The shelling also damaged the villagers’ houses and plantations. Villagers were terrified and fled to stream sources [distant from the village, where most villagers have their plantations] because of the mortars shelling by SAC. By the end of August 2023, the villagers in A--- village returned to the village but they were still worried about the potential shelling. Some villagers were afraid to sleep in the village at night. Therefore, they would go and sleep in stream source at night and come back to the village during daytime.

On July 19th, 2023, between 11:00 and 12:00 pm, the SAC LIB #285 based in P’Law Town shelled three rounds of mortars into B--- village, P’Law area, Ler Muh Lah Township, Mergui-Tavoy District. This shelling killed a villager named Maung J--, 20 years old, who died on the spot. Before the shelling, Maung J-- was visiting his friend’s home. On his way back home, the shelling happened and killed him. The exact time when Maung J-- died is unknown because other villagers were scared and hid under their houses. On the next day, local villagers found out that Maung J-- had died from the extensive wounds caused by the shelling explosion. The SAC LIB #285 based in P’Law Town often shells mortars into the local village, even without skirmishes happening in the area. Therefore, some villagers fled to other places, and some went to stay with their relatives. Some villagers had made a bunker underground and hid there when the shelling happened.

On July 25th 2023, the SAC LIB #285 shelled 7 rounds of mortar into B--- village, P’Law area, Ler Muh Lah Township, Mergui-Tavoy District. Due to the shelling, a 40-year-old villager named U K-- was killed. The mortar landed next to his house. He was wounded in the back and died. U K-- is a villager who had to work daily for his livelihood. He is survived by his wife and his son. After he passed away, his wife and son faced livelihood challenges, so they moved to stay with their relatives. Due to the shelling incidents, some villagers were terrified and fled to another village to stay with their relatives. The shelling also damaged the villager’s house.

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.

The victims and their family members allowed KHRG to use the information they provided for publication.