The
media group that travelled to Myitkyina on 9 May for three days visited the
Maria Heavenly Maiden Church in Tang Hpre, Myitsone Village, the Trinity
Baptist Church in Kawarka, Naungnan Village, the Nyaung Yan Camps (1, 2, 3, 4)
previously held by KIA Brigade (2) and the brigade’s headquarters in Awng Lawt
Village.
The
following are excerpts from interviews with displaced villagers, military
personnel, and officials from the Myanmar Red Cross.
Injong
Jartaung, 60
Tanbaungyan
Village
Maria
Heavenly Maiden Church
“I’m
from Nan Paw Yan Village and I came here with my entire village. There are a
hundred of us. We receive necessary food and a place to stay. I was a farmer in
my village and I have four family members. We didn’t bring anything with us. We
want to live peacefully in our hometown. They are fighting each other but we
are in the crossfire. We left because we were afraid of getting caught in that
crossfire.”
La
Paing Bran Shaung, 38
(18)
Mile Village
Maria
Heavenly Maiden Church
“I’ve
fled from war twice. Seven years ago I fled from Zanpaing when shootings befan
and now I’ve fled from (18) mile. I’m scared of the shootings so I left. I
arrived here on 3 May with my entire family, all twelve of us including
relatives. We had to circle through the forests to get here. We came by foot
and I had to carry my 117 year old mother-in-law so we took longer to get here.
I don’t want to talk much about war. I do get affected by it. I just want to
live in peace with my family. Things here are good, I just worry for my aging
mother-in-law.”
La
Taung Tu, 80
Ingyanyan
Village
Naungnan
Village Trinity Baptist Church
“I
come from Ingran Kaung Village near Ingyanyan Village. We fled because we were
terrified of the war. I came with my son, his wife and their children. I still
have family members left back in the village but I don’t know if they will flee
the village or not. I’ve been facing war since I was 20 years old. I just wish
for all fighting to end.”
Brig-Gen
Kyaw Soe Min
(Regional
Command)
“Our
fighting mainly took place in Tadar Nyi Naung Hpakant Myitkyina on 6 April.
Another one took place in Lamone Village on 8 April when the other side
attacked us first. Because of that we carried out area clearance operations in
Tanai at the KIA Nyaung Yan Camps (1, 2, 3, 4) and Brigade (2) Headquarters. We
avoided civilians and focused on military targets and avoided villages from
getting damaged. Everyone who’s visited the villages can see the houses were
not damaged. Everyone wants to return to their homes and we can take care of
their security here.”
Lt-Col
Soe Htet
(Regional
Command)
“I’m
assigned to security details in Awng Lawt Village. I arrived here on 1 May and
the first thing we saw was the KIA Brigade (2) Headquarters burning. The other
side of the village was completely untouched. Since our arrival we have not
received any villagers coming to us for help saying they are trapped. Before we
arrived here the church organizations contacted 200 people the first time and
transported them with help from the Red Cross. But these people were not from
Awng Lawt. They were workers from Shwe Maw and merchants and they were taken
back to their hometowns. We’ve cleaned the churches in the village and left the
houses in their normal state.”
U
Gae Nest, Chairman
Kachin
State Red Cross Society
“We
received news on 17 April that people were trapped in Awng Lawt Village so we
asked for permission from the state government and received it immediately. We
received additional permission from the regional command on 18 April and then
we arrived in Awng Lawt on 20 April. We did not see anyone when we first
arrived in Awng Lawt. When the workers and merchants heard the Red Cross was
here they appeared on 20 April. We contacted Awng Lawt villagers five times
through the people who arrived. They thanked us for coming but they said they
will discuss among themselves and didn’t come out. We waited at our temporary
camp in KBC Church for three days. In the end we just took the 225 workers and
merchants to Tanai Administration Department and send them back to their
various hometowns. The people in Awng Lawt said they were at a place three
days’ walk away and didn’t appear anymore.”
By:
Ye Khaung Nyunt, Photo: Poe Htaung
Ref;
The Global New Light of Myanmar
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