Civilian beaten by Burmese soldier in Mong Khark
A man was hospitalized in eastern Shan State’s Mong
Khark Township after he was beaten by a Burmese soldier at a checkpoint last Monday,
according to a local source.
 |
| Three villagers were beaten by Burmese soldiers in Lashio Township in November last year. |
The incident happened at Nam Moi Ahkhue, a Burmese
military checkpoint, the source told Shan Herald on condition of
anonymity because of his fears of retribution. The victim has been identified
as Sai Yi, a Mong Noong villager, who was passing through the checkpoint when the
soldier on patrol, identified as Lieutenant Sithu, stopped him. Apparently, because
he could not understand the lieutenant’s language – Burmese – the soldier beat
him.
Sai Yi was taken to the hospital in Mong Khark, the
source said.
Consisting of no more than 200 households, Mong
Noong is located 20 miles west of Mong Khark Township, which is in Kengtung
District.
“The Burmese armed forces set up two checkpoints
between Mong Noong and Mong Kar village, which lie just 12 miles from each
other,” said Nang Ai Keng Kham, a resident in Mong Khark. “People have to pay
them money to pass through the checkpoint. For a motorbike, we have to pay
1,000 kyat (US$0.75) and for a car we must pay 5,000 kyat.
“If people do not speak nicely with them, they get beaten
up,” she said. “It’s very difficult to travel in this area. Sometimes, we are too
afraid to pass there.
“People in this area are farmers. We only rely on
local crops,” she added. “Right now, there is a temple festival in Mong Noong,
and villagers go there to sell their wares. But the Burmese soldiers at the
checkpoint always ask for money. It distresses us.”
There are regular reports of human rights violations
against civilians perpetuated by Burmese troops across Shan State. On December
7, Shan Herald
reported that three villagers from Mong Yen in
Lashio Township were beaten and another was shot by Burmese soldiers for no
reason.
Many incidents are either not reported or the
soldiers involved are invariably not brought to justice.
“Members of the [Burmese] security
forces continued to violate human rights with near-total impunity.
Investigations into human rights violations by the security forces were rare,
and when they did occur they lacked transparency and independence,” said a 2015-16
Amnesty International annual report.
By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: Human Rights, News
