Six local residents were killed and six others wounded when the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) troops opened fire on villagers who were protesting against gold mining activities in Pying Hkam village, Monesee village tract, Kutkai Township in northern Shan State, according to local sources.
A woman from Pying Hkam village reported that the incident occurred around 2pm on 5 March when residents went to protest the continued gold mining by MNDAA forces despite previous protests from the community.
“We have already collected the bodies and all villagers are now gathered in front of the MNDAA office to protest. The MNDAA shot and killed six unarmed villagers, and six others were injured. The villagers have also confiscated the weapon used by the MNDAA to shoot our people,” she said.
Pying Hkam village is located about 45 minutes by motorbike from Monesee (Mungji mare) village. Local residents had repeatedly objected to MNDAA’s gold mining on their agricultural land and had submitted written requests to stop the operations.
Despite these objections, the MNDAA continued mining, which led to the villagers protesting on 5 March. During the confrontation with the Kokang troops at the mining site, an argument broke out and the troops opened fire on the villagers.
Among the six men killed in the shooting were two members of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The six injured men reportedly sustained severe wounds.
The two deceased KIA members were locals from Pying Hkam village. Following the incident, all local villagers carried the bodies to the MNDAA office in Monesee and held a public demonstration in the evening.
“The MNDAA came to mine gold on the land we use for farming. When villagers spoke up and objected to this, they responded by shooting and killing them. We absolutely do not accept this. Is the MNDAA here to protect villagers or to threaten them? We will work to get answers to these questions,” said a local woman.
Local residents are strongly protesting the MNDAA’s actions and say they will seek justice for this incident.
Both the MNDAA and the Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA) operate in the Monesee Si area above Kutkai, and tensions between the two armed groups have frequently erupted.
Sent by KNG.