The military council force has been carrying out deliberate airstrikes on religious buildings, wards and villages in the fighting in Pa-O Self-Administered Zone, according to locals and Pa-O National Liberation Army (PLNA) officials.
Religious buildings and houses were burned down by the military council’s airstrikes in Pinpone village in Pinlaung Township in Pa-O Self-Administered Zone in southern Shan State.
A Pinpone villager said: “They deliberately attacked religious buildings. In particular, they carried out more attacks on the monasteries in the Pa-O region. Because almost all Pa-O people follow Buddhism. They are religious. They instill a fear into the public that they will destroy the place held in high esteem if the public is involved in revolution. This sows discord between the revolutionary forces and the public.”
On 2 April, the military council bombarded Pinpone monastery. No one was harmed in the bombardment as the monks had fled it 10 days earlier, locals said.
The military council has been carrying out constant attacks since the allied revolutionary forces attacked a combined force of the military council and the Pa-O National Army (PNA), stationed in Pinpon village, on 18 March.
The military council’s airstrikes and heavy shelling have forced almost all villagers to flee.
Villagers said no revolutionary forces are stationed in Pinpone village where the military council is carrying out airstrikes and heavy shelling.
Therefore, the military council’s aerial attacks on religious buildings and civilians are deliberate act to create a religious conflict and mislead the public, said a Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA) official.
An official of the PNLA said: “It will not disrupt the revolution. Because the people already know the military council’s acts. The pro-military supporters want to create various kinds of conflicts under the pretext of these matters. It is necessary for us and the public to remain vigilant and monitor it cautiously,” he said.
On 30 March, Zawanayarma Paritta monastery which houses 500 monks was burned down by the military council’s airstrike in Hsihseng in Pa-O Self-Administered Zone.
Sent by NMG.