Many local people were abducted when the military council troops entered the villages such as Kanyokyun, Waydai, Sitbye and Laykyunkhan villages along Launglon peninsula in Tanintharyi Region, according to the residents.
A local man from Launglon said: “The military abducted the people when it entered a village. When they reached the next village, they released some of detainees. They continue to bring the strong men along with them. Until now, the people who are captured as human shields remain their hands. I don’t know exactly how many people are captured as human shields. Among the detainees are women who can walk.”
Local youths, including women, were abducted as protection as the military council troops marched into more than 20 villages along the peninsula. Some of them have been released, but there are still some residents who have been detained by the military council, according to the locals.
On 28 December, the military column burned down 22 houses in Laykyunkhan and Satpyae villages. Due to the advance of the military column, locals from more than 20 villages have fled to safer places, the persons helping the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A Longlon resident helping IDPs said: ÒMost of the residents from more than 20 villages they entered are still fleeing the war. Today, they arrived in Thabyayshaung village-tract. It is difficult for us to compile the list of IDPs. Our Launglon is a peninsula. The people move to the upper area when the army conducts offensives in the lower area. It is difficult to estimate the number of people fleeing the war in a situation where they have to move in and out of the village.”
The military council troops with a strength of around 150 soldiers conducted an offensive by three columns—two ground columns and one naval column. The military council soldiers did not torture the locals they arrested, but if they found anything related to the revolution on the phone, they continued to detain them, the residents said.
According to the statement by the Dawei District Democracy Action Strike Committee released at the end of late December, the military council troops looted the homes of the residents and took away their belongings while patrolling the villages.
Sent by KIC.