An interview with Pado Saw Hla Tun, Joint-Secretary-2 of the KNU.
Since the military coup, the military council has increased its targeted airstrikes on civilians year after year. During two years of coup, the military council conducted 230 airstrikes in the Karen National Union (KNU)-controlled territories, according to the report released by the Research and Record-Keeping Division under the Human Rights Committee of the KNU.
The Karen Information Center (KIC) interviewed Pado Saw Hla Tun, Joint General Secretary-2 of the KNU about the KNU’s views over the junta’s airstrikes in the KNU-controlled territories and the plights of the public and expectations for the emergence of no-fly zone.
Q: First, May I know the situations of the KNU-controlled territories during the two-year coup?
A: Take a look at the situations in the KNU-controlled territories following the coup, we encounter more difficulties in the military affairs. Our ethnic people have to live in fear due to fighting and airstrikes. The KNU-controlled territories see higher human insecurity, fears and an increasing number of fighting every day.
Q: How about the situations of civilians who suffered casualties caused by the military council’s airstrikes?
A: This is really sorrowful. The public wants to live their life peacefully. However, the civilians were killed in the military council’s targeted attacks on the PDFs which are regarded as its enemies and civilians in the post-coup period. The military council’s airstrikes are said to increase compared with the situations before the 2021 coup. The number of civilians killed in the military council’s airstrikes has reached hundreds, according to the figures compiled by the KNU. It can be said that the total number of civilian casualties killed in the airstrikes has reached thousands across the country. It is found that the never-experienced-before airstrikes resulted in many civilian deaths and the destruction of houses and villages.
Q: Did the KNU provide aid for the public for the losses of life and properties?
A: Based on the situation, the KNU provides aid for the public who suffered losses as much as it can. For instance, we help the public in the reconstruction of houses and villages. However, we are doing these works through a mobile system.
Due to the military council’s targeted airstrikes, we help locals move to a safer place. But the relocation of victims remains in the cycle as the military council increases its airstrikes on those places. On the other hand, the country will see such events more and more as long as the political situation is not stable and the dictatorship prevails. The KNU provides aid as much as it can. However, we have no capacity to fulfill the needs till a human being can survive.
Q: At present, most of the areas are at risk of heavy shelling and airstrikes. May I know the livelihood difficulties and serious challenges being faced by the public due to the military council’s airstrikes and indiscriminate artillery shelling?
A: The public always lives in the shadow of fear due to the military council’s airstrikes. They have to sleep in the forests as they don’t dare to go home. It is found that they are always fearful of airstrikes. Especially, the people living in the territories of targeted airstrikes have fears for the sounds of flights. They have to hide in the forests and flee to safer places for their safety when they hear the sounds of flights. They also have to hide in water channels. The public suffers the losses of properties due to the military council’s indiscriminate attacks on churches, hospitals, clinics and schools. On the other hand, the public faces more mental problems. As I said before, they don’t dare to live in their houses although they have their own houses. They face the losses of houses and properties. This is the public’s trauma as they have to live in the shadow of fear.
Q: What will the KNU do next to avoid the military council’s airstrikes? May I know your view on the emergence of the no-fly zone?
A: In fact, according to the nature of civil war, airstrikes are banned. The current situation is even worse due to targeted airstrikes on civilians. Action should be taken against the military council which is violating the international rules and laws in accord with the international rules. There are different means on how to stop airstrikes rather than how to protect it. The KNU made demands for it. The District also called for the designation of war-free zones. I believe that the public can live in those zones without any fear thanks to the designation of no-fly zones until the country sees political reform. We need to force the international community to reach this situation. The KNU’s view is that the UN Security Council mainly deals with the military council’s use of airstrikes in civil war which goes against the international rules and bar the international community from selling aerial supplies to stop airstrikes. Based on the said matters, the KNU has made demands. On the other hand, the international community is required to place emphasis on it. There is a difficult task to be done by the international community, the KNU and the existing armed revolutionary forces to stop targeted airstrikes on the public. We can overcome this difficulty by designating a no-fly zone through the international community’s concerted efforts. However, this is a difficult challenge for the KNU as an ethnic armed organization.
Sent by Nant Hsan Htee