Burma Link, April 27, 2014

Villager’s house destroyed as Burma Army shells villages

Burma Army shelled villages during battles against TNLA (Palaung/Ta’ang National Liberation Army) on April 20th, 2014 in northern Shan State.

The first battle took place between Man-aung and Hsa-lu villages where the heavy weapon shells fired by the government forces completely destroyed a house in Man-aung village. The villagers were “panicking and running for their lives and into hiding”, TNLA reports.

The same night, Burmese military fired about 30 heavy weapon rounds at Ain-lort village in Kay-kin Village Tract of Namsan Township. The heavy weapon shells fell and exploded near houses in the middle of the village, but luckily they did not fall on houses or hurt the villagers.

According to PSLF/TNLA News and Information Department, “government troops are shelling the villages indiscriminately based on the assumption that the Ta’ang and Kachin army troops are active in the area.”

 

At least 16 Burmese soldiers killed in clashes against Ta’ang Army troops

Two battles took place between Ta’ang and Burmese army troops on April 23, 2014, the second clash killing 10 Burmese soldiers.

The first battle took place when Ta’ang army attacked the Burmese army camp of Namkham Town, located in the Ta’ang region. There was no casualty on the Ta’ang Army side and details on Burmese army side are not known.

The same day, a clash broke out near Namkham Town between Burmese and Ta’ang Army troops. While the battle lasted only about 15 minutes, heavy weapons fired by Ta’ang troops hit Burmese military trucks, killing at least 10 Burmese soldiers and wounding many others.

On April 25, 2014, Ta’ang troops attacked Burmese army troops of Hteinkan military camp near Lwecheck village of Ta’ang Region in Namkham Township, killing at least six Burmese soldiers.

Hteinkan military camp was set up in a tea factory that the Burmese military had confiscated. After setting up the camp Burmese troops started forcibly collecting protection money from the local people who use the highway that the factory is on.

Three truck drivers who were taking a rest at the camp after “having narcotic drugs together with the Burmese soldiers, were wounded slightly in the attack”, TNLA reports.

After attack on the camp, the Ta’ang troops also attacked the militia camp of Manpan village, capturing eight M-22 rifles, one carbine, one pistol and some narcotic drugs. The attack carried out by the Ta’ang army troops was due to complaints by the local people.

 

The role of narcotic drugs

According to Ta’ang army, they are fighting two wars simultaneously; one against drugs and one for national liberation.

The Burmese military has formed and armed militia organizations with villagers in the Namkham region, and the militia troops of these organizations are cooperating with militia troops of Namkham Town militia organization, under the command of a Chinese man Aik San.

The Ta’ang army attack on Manpan military camp was due to complaints by local people, related to these militia organizations and their drug trafficking. Ta’ang elders and people say that Ta’ang army troops have been organizing and holding mass meetings in the Ta’ang region in order to eradicate narcotic drug abuse and trafficking among the Ta’ang people.

“As the Burmese army troops have been blocking and attacking the Ta’ang troops, they have to respond by resorting to guerrilla warfare”, locals say.

 

Information:

News and Information Department
PSLF/TNLA

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